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Famille Rose 'Rooster' Porcelain Plate

Chinese Famille Rose porcelain plate featuring a rooster and pink peonies, late 19th century. - view 1
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Estimated value

$80 - $180

Rarity

Ordinary(3/10)

Era

Late 19th to early 20th century

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

Moderate(65%)
17

FAMILLE ROSE 'ROOSTER' PORCELAIN PLATE: IDENTIFICATION

Hard-paste porcelain plate decorated in the Famille Rose palette with a central scene featuring a cockerel, chicks, and tree peony motifs. The cavetto and rim displays secondary floral sprays and diapers in pink and green enamels. Noteworthy is the 'Kakiemon' inspired asymmetrical composition and the gilded detailing on the rooster's plumage, characteristic of late 19th or early 20th-century Export style.

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.

CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS

Where This Object Echoes

Japanese Edo-period1680-1750

Kakiemon porcelain often utilizes similar asymmetrical floral and bird compositions.

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •Traditional Chinese New Year displays often include rooster imagery to ward off evil spirits.

Meaning Through Time

18th Century

High-status luxury import for European nobility.

20th Century

Standardized decorative giftware and 'Chinoiserie' interior accent.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

This style of decoration, specifically featuring the rooster and peony, gained significant popularity in Jingdezhen during the Qianlong period (1736-1795) and was frequently replicated for the European export market throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. The rooster (gongji) is a ...
This style of decoration, specifically featuring the rooster and peony, gained significant popularity in Jingdezhen during the Qianlong period (1736-1795) and was frequently replicated for the European export market throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. The rooster (gongji) is a traditional symbol of punctuality and reliability in Chinese culture, often paired with the peony (richness/honor). The lack of a reign mark and the slightly thicker application of the enamels suggest a late Qing or Republic period production intended for the Western market.

COLLECTOR NOTES

1

The use of pink enamel, which defines the 'Famille Rose' palette, was first introduced to China by Jesuit missionaries around 1720.

SCARCITY

Ordinary40-55%
CommonLegendary

Standard antiques commonly found at estate sales and flea markets. Plentiful supply meets modest demand.

Rarity 3/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 173 ceramics items at rarity 3 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Moderate production runs
  • Common at estate sales
  • Entry-level collectibles

Confidence Factors

  • High prevalence of 20th-century reproductions of Qianlong-style rooster patterns
  • Absence of maker marks makes dating reliant solely on enamel texture and footrim characteristics
  • Condition of footrim is consistent with age, but enamels appear remarkably bright
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

High confidence in the category and style identification; moderate confidence in the specific decade of production due to the lack of marks and the common nature of the pattern.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Visible iron spots and kiln debris on the unglazed footrim suggest 19th/early 20th-century firing conditions.
  • 2The use of 'rose' (gold-chloride) based enamel identifies the piece as Famille Rose.
  • 3Composition mimics 18th-century prototypes but with the simplified, repetitive border patterns of the late Qing export trade.
  • 4The gilding on the rim shows authentic age-related attrition rather than modern scraping.

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Very clean reverse side without the typical 'chatter marks' or significant pitting seen in mid-19th century pieces.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Perform a 'tap test' with a wooden spindle to check for muffled sounds indicating hidden hairlines.
  • →Inspect the central white ground under a 10x loupe for 'apertures' or pinholes in the glaze.
  • →Verify translucency by holding a light source behind the plate to confirm hard-paste porcelain vs. stoneware.

CONDITION & GRADE

Grading breakdown

Evaluation based on visible rim gilt wear and surface kiln spots; no visible hairlines or major chips detected from images.

Condition

Significant loss of gilding on the outer rim. The footrim shows kiln grit and minor iron spots, with an unglazed contact ring consistent with period firing techniques.

Weight & feel

Estimated at 350-450g; likely exhibits the dense, resonant feel of high-fired hard-paste porcelain typical of Jingdezhen kilns.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$80 - $180

Updated: May 10, 2026

Who buys this

General antique collectors and those seeking traditional Chinoiserie decorative elements for interiors.

What increases value

  • •Subject matter (roosters are more desirable than simple floral sprays)
  • •Vibrancy of the pink and turquoise enamels
  • •Absence of structural damage like chips or cracks

What lowers value

  • •Loss of rim gilding significantly impacts retail presentation value
  • •High volume of similar export plates in the market limits price ceiling

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Authenticated 18th-century marks
  • •Detailed 'sgraffito' work on the enamel surfaces
  • •Provenance from a known early European collection

Grade & condition

Completeness of gilding, clarity of the central scene, and glaze integrity (absence of scratches).

Rarity & demand

OrdinaryModerate demandSells quickly
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

BR

bruinsma
The Connoisseur•59 items

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