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Blue and White Porcelain Bowl with Kangxi Apocryphal Mark

Late 19th century Chinese blue and white porcelain bowl featuring figures and landscape with a 6-character Kangxi mark on the base. - view 1
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Estimated value

$250 - $650

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Era

Late 19th century (circa 1880-1900)

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

Moderate(55%)
11

BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN BOWL WITH KANGXI APOCRYPHAL MARK: IDENTIFICATION

A deep, flared-rim porcelain bowl decorated in underglaze blue. The exterior wall features a continuous narrative scene of figures in a stylized landscape, specifically depicting women (possibly Chang'e) with a rabbit, a common motif referencing the mid-autumn moon festival. The narrative style and 'cracked ice' or diaper-patterned border panels are typical of late 19th-century Qing Dynasty production. The base carries a six-character kaishu (regular script) mark reading 'Da Qing Kangxi Nian Zhi', though the calligraphy and cobalt saturation indicate a later 19th-century attribution rather than a 17th-century period piece.

Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Alabaster Urn-Shaped Vase, Han Dynasty Style Glazed Ceramic Boar Figurine, Chinese Blue and White 'Three Friends of Winter' Stem Cup, Ming Style.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

During the late Qing Dynasty (Guangxu period, 1875-1908), Chinese porcelain manufactories in Jingdezhen experienced a revival, frequently using apocryphal marks of the Kangxi reign (1662-1722) to honor the high craftsmanship of that earlier era. This specific scene of figures in a landscape became ...
During the late Qing Dynasty (Guangxu period, 1875-1908), Chinese porcelain manufactories in Jingdezhen experienced a revival, frequently using apocryphal marks of the Kangxi reign (1662-1722) to honor the high craftsmanship of that earlier era. This specific scene of figures in a landscape became a staple of 'Export-style' porcelain produced for both domestic use and the European market throughout the 1880s and 1890s.

COLLECTOR NOTES

1

The 6-character mark on the base claims a date between 1662 and 1722, but the stiff calligraphic style identifies it as a 19th-century homage.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.

Rarity 4/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 101 ceramics items at rarity 4 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Standard antique shop items
  • Regularly available
  • Moderate collector interest

Confidence Factors

  • Apocryphal 6-character Kangxi mark is non-period and from a later era
  • Stiff decorative painting style consistent with late 19th-century mass production
  • Presence of a significant hairline crack reduces collector value
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

The form, palette, and apocryphal mark are highly diagnostic of the late Qing export/revival period, though a hands-on 'tap test' for additional hairlines is required for finality.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Kaishu mark calligraphy is too rigid for the Kangxi period.
  • 2The cobalt blue sits on the surface of the glaze rather than 'melting' into the paste.
  • 3Visible vertical hairline crack at the 1 o'clock position in the first image.
  • 4Footrim paste is white and clean, lacking the 'oily' feel of 17th-century porcelain.

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •The hairline crack significantly impacts structural integrity and value.
  • •Apocryphal mark may be misinterpreted by novice buyers as 17th-century period.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Perform a ring test (tap the rim) to check for hidden vibrations/cracks.
  • →Review the piece under UV light to check for professional overpainting at the crack terminal.
  • →High-resolution photo of the interior botton to check for 'kiln grit' or glaze pooling.

CONDITION & GRADE

Condition

A visible vertical hairline crack is present on the rim extending downward into the pattern. The footrim shows minor grit inclusions and shelf wear localized to the unglazed contact ring.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$250 - $650

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

General antique collectors and mid-level Asian art enthusiasts looking for decorative period pieces rather than investment-grade imperial ware.

What increases value

  • •Clarity of the narrative scene featuring Chang'e
  • •Large size of the bowl (likely over 20cm diameter)

What lowers value

  • •Vertical hairline crack on the rim (up to 60% value deduction)
  • •Lack of period Kangxi authenticity

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Luminous, multi-toned sapphire cobalt
  • •Thin, translucent 'eggshell' body
  • •Authentic Kangxi-period footrim construction

Grade & condition

Determination of grade based on glaze integrity, presence of cracks/chips, and clarity of the cobalt painting.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

XA

xasxa
Wonderseeker•1 item

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