TIANQI 1621 – 1627 Ming Porcelain
A Fine Late Ming Blue and White Porcelain Basin Possibly Made for the Japanese Market, Tianqi Period 1621-1627. Painted in a Strong Vibrant Clear Blue with a Jardinière of Flowers on a Decorative Stand with other Similar Jardinières Either Side. The Border with Butterflies. The Base with an Apocryphal Chenghua Mark, Ming 1465 – 1487. The Rim is Semi-Glazed.
SOLD
- Condition
- In excellent condition, a Small chip to the unglazed footrim, few minute frits c.1 x 1 mm.
- Size
- Diameter : 29 cm (11.5 cm)
- Provenance
- N/A
- Stock number
- 24308
- References
- For another Ming porcelain basin of this design A Ming porcelain basin of this type but with a different design, dated to c.1620-1630, is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, see : Chinese Porcelain in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, The Ming and Qing Dynasties (Christiaan Jorg, Phillip Wilson, The Rijksmuseum, 1997) page 50, plate 32.
Photos
Information
Apocryphal marks are frequently encountered on Chinese porcelain particularly on Kangxi Blue and White Porcelain, the mark of the Ming Emperor Chenghua who reigned from 1465 to 1487 being by far the most common, other Ming marks include Jiajing (1522-1566) and less frequently Wanli (1573-1620). These marks were not added to the piece to deceive, but more as a sign of reverence to earlier potters of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Occasionally they are used on pieces copying Ming Porcelain, these objects were probably made for collectors who could not afford the Ming original. Tianqi is an early period for such an apocryphal mark.