Featured Tall Chinese Figure

This figure is 13 1/2" tall. Guan Yin I think. Marked on base. I just can't figure out which way the mark goes or the period it comes from.

 

I agree.

 

Boy, that's a tall gal! I don't know the age, but I'm leaning towards early 20thc.

 

It was made using the slip casting technique, which would probably put it into the 1st half of the 20th century at the earliest.

According to this seller, "the tanned cheeks are commonly seen on early 20th C porcelain."


This one places a similar figure in the Republic period -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256833817671?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item

According to Gotheborg, in China, slip casting using plaster molds began in 1949. Plaster molds would have been well suited to the mass production of such figurines.

"Slip Casting - The process of making pottery by pouring liquid clay (slip) into absorbing plaster molds. The slip is left in the mold for a while a layer of slip has solidified against the interior wall of the mold. The excess still-liquid clay is then poured out, and the layer of slip is left to dry inside the mold. Once solidified, the leather-hard item is removed from the mold, trimmed neatly, and allowed to dry. This process easily produces hollow, round wares, like pots and vases, with a thin body of even thickness. The same process can be used for handles, spouts, and other details.

If visible at all, the parting mark left by the mold on these wares is vertical, whereas all antique porcelain vessels were molded in horizontal sections, if at all. The practice of using plaster of Paris molds began in 19491), whereas earlier pottery molds absorbed water more slowly and generally produced objects with thicker walls.

1) Information repeatedly given during interviews in Jingdezhen in 1992"
https://www.gotheborg.com/glossary/slipcasting.shtml

 

Thank you Any, Kent and 2many!