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Greeting! I'd appreciate some feedback on whether or not this is a Transitional/Kangxi vase or later copy. Thx!

I'm on the fence....

First...sorry for my blurry photos.

On one hand, the garlic neck shape, color of the blue, decent quality of the rendering and subject matter, and white porcelain seem to suggest 17th c. work.

However, the cloud pattern (which I like a lot) seems to be Transitional in style, but I am not aware that the empty double rings (Kangxi period) overlapped that both would ever appear on the same piece.

If there is no overlap of the Transitional style with Kangxi double rings, then most likely 19th c. or later.

Thoughts?

Looking at the uniformity of the floral diaper designs, as well as sand that looks to have been added to the inner foot by a damp fingertip, I'd say it's more likely a late 20th century or subsequent example of transfer-decorated ware. I believe the white glaze of the Kangxi era was as well controlled inside the foot as outside.

The shape looks something like what the English and others once called a "guglet", which was a long-necked drinking jar with a bulbous expansion under the mouth.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thanks Bill!

Good info on the guglet, or as I just found on Google, sometimes called a goglet type vase.

I can't rule out that this could be a late 20th c. as it does have a rather new looking slip.

However, the black spots on the foot rim are not pieces of kiln grit, but rather pores/bubble bursts in the slip where the foot was polished, now filled with dirt. There is no remnants of sand and the foot ring is nicely polished and smooth.

My photos are pretty bad,and I should probably post some better ones, but I assure you the entire design is definitely hand rendered, not transferred.

I also agree with you that the rendering is simplistic on the flowers, but quite a bit better for the scene which does seem to be how I've found many examples of Transitional ware.

Compare to this example sold by Christie's...

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-blue-and-white-double-gourd-scholars-vase-6106005-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=6106005&sid=a12689e2-5921-42bd-a862-d752f36b3c1f

One thing for sure, I have seen no example of a transitional piece with double hollow rings (Kangxi). This seems to be a mistake in the overall design.

When I was evaluating the piece before buying it, I was thinking that since Kangxi style blue/white were copied in such abundance in the late 19th c., that it would be easy to imagine a few Transitional pieces being copied (mistaken as Kangxi) and mistakenly rendered with double hollow rings on the bottom.

So, for this reason I'm still holding out hope that this is late 19th c.

I guess it is just as likely that a modern faker made the same mistake, but I would think by the late 20th c. the fakers would know the difference between Transitional wares and Kangxi.

Thanks as always.
Tim

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