I was told these vases were Chinese, but I don't know anything about them. Could someone who recognizes them help me with some information? A date would be good and a possible value as well as the country of origin. They measure approximately 14 1/4 inches tall.
Hello Steve, Yes, they are Chinese (country of origin: China, assumedly). If you want to see similar vases, then to an image search on Google for "rouleaux vase gilt on blue". You will find similar ones.
It is impossible to know the exact age of Chinese porcelains, but if you upload closeups of the foot rim, the top rim just inside the mouth, and one or two places of the decoration; that would make it possible to check for age signs. Places where the gilt decoration is rubbed off are of special interest.
Alternatively, you could upload large, high-resolution pictures to Photobucket or elsewhere on the web, and post the link here. These pictures are too small to see any details, but the fact that the vases are in such a good condition suggests that they either are not very old, that is from the 20th century, or extremely well cared for. And, having a pair of them in good state is relatively rare. The gilt is applied over the glaze and is probably the color most easily rubbed off. Many such vases have their gilt decoration almost gone. Please do not rub the surface too vigorously to avoid this.
As for the value, I would recommend you try valuemystuff.com. They are better placed to know the market. Here is a link for your general consideration regarding the value of antiques: http://www.chinese-antique-porcelain.com/value-of-antiques.html
