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Chinese Export Porcelain Imari Palette Plate

Chinese export porcelain plate with blue and red floral Imari pattern from the 18th century. - view 1
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Estimated value

$150 - $350

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Era

Qianlong period, circa 1740-1760

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

High(80%)
20

CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN IMARI PALETTE PLATE: IDENTIFICATION

Hard-paste porcelain plate decorated in the Imari palette consisting of underglaze cobalt blue, overglaze iron red, and gilt highlights. The central medallion features a blossoming peony and foliate sprays, surrounded by a diaper-patterned well and a border of scrolling cartouches and floral sprigs. The reverse reveals a characteristic unglazed wedge-shaped footrim and a slightly blue-toned glaze consistent with 18th-century firing conditions.

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

Produced during the Qianlong period (1736–1795), this style was a Chinese response to the high European demand for Japanese Imari wares from Arita. By the mid-18th century, Chinese kilns in Jingdezhen successfully undercut Japanese prices while maintaining high production volumes. This specific ...
Produced during the Qianlong period (1736–1795), this style was a Chinese response to the high European demand for Japanese Imari wares from Arita. By the mid-18th century, Chinese kilns in Jingdezhen successfully undercut Japanese prices while maintaining high production volumes. This specific 'Chinese Imari' export ware became a staple of East India Company trade between 1720 and 1780, intended for the Western dining market.

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 100 ceramics items at rarity 4 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

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

Confidence Factors

  • Footrim geometry is consistent with mid-18th century Jingdezhen production
  • Pitting and iron spots in the glaze align with period charcoal-fired kilns
  • Wear patterns on overglaze enamels are age-appropriate
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

The visual indicators including the palette, footrim construction, and glaze impurities are highly diagnostic of mid-18th century Chinese export porcelain.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Unglazed wedge-shaped footrim with slight adhering kiln sand
  • 2Underglaze cobalt blue showing the 'heaping and piling' effect common in period firing
  • 3Characteristic 'muslin' texture of the glaze on the reverse
  • 4Presence of 'fritting' on the rim, caused by the relative brittleness of the hard-paste rim

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Minor edge restorations can be difficult to spot without UV light on these decorative borders

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Obtain a close-up photo of the footrim to check for specific kiln marks
  • →Examine under UV light to rule out professional spray restoration on common rim chips
  • →Perform a 'ping' test to ensure the body is free of internal hairlines

CONDITION & GRADE

Good

Grading breakdown

Presence of rim frits and gilt loss prevents a 'Fine' grade; however, the lack of visible hairlines or major cracks maintains its marketability (Bonaventura 2023).

Condition

Visible fritting and small chips along the rim edge. Typical stacking wear to the central floral spray and significant rubbing to the gilt highlights on the scrolling border.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$150 - $350

Updated: May 10, 2026

Who buys this

Specialist collectors of Chinese Export porcelain and interior designers seeking authentic 18th-century wall decor.

What increases value

  • •Clarity and saturation of the cobalt blue
  • •Percentage of surviving gilding on the border
  • •Absence of hairlines (cracks)

What lowers value

  • •Rim chips (frits) significantly reduce value for top-tier collectors
  • •Professional restoration that might hide structural damage

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Exceptional crispness in the peony rendering
  • •Presence of a specific family crest (Armorial) significantly triples value

Grade & condition

Determined primarily by rim integrity and the retention of overglaze gilt and red enamel.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandSells quickly
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

BR

bruinsma
The Connoisseur•57 items

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