Chinese vase... is this valuable ??

I found this vase. Looks pretty nice to me and authentic. But I need the help of a specialist. What's the verdict ?

 

Better picture of the mark below.

 

Depends what you mean by authentic. Yes, it is authentic Chinese, although the Thai are masters at producing fakes, just like the Chinese themselves. Some fakes are very nicely made.
It has a Qianlong mark, but is not Qianlong period. Most Qianlong marks are later, many recent.
The photos are a bit blurry, so I can't see the quality. Some dark inclusions, which means it is certainly not top quality. The footrim is uneven and badly finished.
There seem to be stencil dots, the landscape is probably stencilprinted with some handpainted details.

 

I think I found it... but is it real? I put them side by side.

1497. Mark: Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Qianlong (1736-1795) Period Make". Extremely fragile Jingdezhen eggshell ware from around 1990. Outlines of the decoration are stamped and manually filled in with colored enamels. Usually young women was doing this kind of work. Each bowl did not take many seconds to decorate. Price after negotiations directly at the night market in Jingdezhen was about 5 yuan each, (c:a US $ 0.50). The drawback was that they were nigh impossible to transport due to their fragility. Being the thickness of lamp bulb glass the temptation was irresistible to stack them 20 at a time in oblong boxes intended for vases, upon which they arrived as that much porcelain confetti. Only way, was to give them one box each which of course added to the cost. (JEN 1991)

 

Neither of them are real Qianlong marks, and they are both upside down.
The description is of Jingdezhen eggshell porcelain, which yours isn't, but the date of 1990 could be right for yours as well.

 

I got some more detailed pictures... I looked up the reign mark but im not really getting anywhere...

 

Well, you have my observations and information, and the information from Gotheborg which you quoted without mentioning the source. I will leave it at that, others can take over now.
You can also read the many other threads about the Qianlong mark, you can enter 'Qianlong mark' in the search box top right of this page.

 

To me this vase looks like it came from one of those import stores that pop up in shopping malls. It's brand new. Not bad, just new.

 

You also see them a lot in Chinese restaurants.
I don't know if the double-headed man was intentional. I haven't seen him before on Chinese vases.

 

Hmm, AJ, good you noticed the double headed man, I was wondering about that.. The owner told me they got it in China many years ago. Also i'm a very good customer of Chinese restaurants and yes these kind of vases they have but not with these details as far I've seen. Those are the ones with gold dragon handles etc on them. Also what I thought was quite odd is that you can see in the first picture that left and right it almost seems that the jar is formed to have 3 handles right and left. I pointed them out here.

 

Many years means different things to different people. The fact remains, this is not antique, and of a quality that would never have passed the controllers of the Jingdezhen factories in the old days. You can see the irregular and badly finished footrim yourself, without needing to know anything about Chinese porcelain.

The 3 protrusions on the sides are rudimentary handles. Different types of rudimentary handles are quite common on vases from any culture. You also see them on vases in Chinese restaurants, just not the ones you frequent.

You've been spending a lot of time trying to see if this vase is more than it will ever be. It is nice as a decorator's piece, if you like that fussy style, but that is all.
I would suggest you also spend time looking at quality Chinese vases, preferably antique ones.
I can also recommend a book called 'Chineesche Ceramiek', written in the 40s by your fellow Frisian, the brilliant Nanne Ottema. It is a book that helped me when I first started selling Asian antiques some 40 odd yrs ago. I still use it for reference.

 

Hi AJ,

Yes it makes sense it just looks too nice to decorative to be antigue. Anyway it's a learning curve i'm just getting into these things. Thanks for recommending the book I will look it up. Ok I won't buy it let's see if I can find anything better.

 

Good decision. And do some studying before buying Chinese items, there are many more fakes and reproductions than the genuine stuff, it is a minefield.
And we are always here, you were right to ask.

These overly decorated wares are loosely based on the Cantonese style, but made to accomodate the Western taste. You will not see them among collector's items.

 

To me, it's made in Jingdezhen after 1990s.