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Meiping vase with enameled decoration

In support of your website, I wish to share with you a unique "Ming Vase" which I have yet to see a similar piece from Chinese antiques' books and books from various museum collections.

About the above vase:

Please care to give your comments. Thank you.

Enclosed are two photos of the above vase for your kind evaluation.


The best of several periods

Thank you for sending me pictures of your interesting vase. I have to admit that I have never seen a vase similar to this one before either.

To give you just my personal opinion about the age of this vase, I would say this is a very modern piece. In case you would not agree, I will give my reasons to arrive at such a conclusion.

As just one sign, you could notice that it has a very distinctive "front side", as opposed to its equally distinctive "back side".

This is a quite recent feature, since antique porcelain pieces - from at least the 19th century and older usually was decorated all around, to be as interesting seen from any angle.

Another feature - that might be harder to notice - is the shape.

This vase have a very powerful and I must say very beautiful profile, but this powerful shape, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, is rather of the Tang dynasty or up until Ming, rather than the later Qing style that would be indicated by the use of fencai enamels in the painted decoration.

Since the decoration therefore does not match in time with the shape, my conclusion is that the vase thus is from a time when the artist picked the best from several periods, ending up with something never made before.

All in all, you are to be commended to the acquiring of a nice piece of porcelain, but one, which I personally doubt, is antique - yet.

Thank you for your interest.

Best regards,
Jan-Erik Nilsson