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Chinese Famille Rose Octagonal Plate

Octagonal Chinese porcelain plate decorated with famille rose enamels showing a vase, flowers, and a bird. - view 1
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Estimated value

$80 - $150

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Era

Late Qing Dynasty (Guangxu period to early Republic), circa 1890-1910

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

Very High(85%)
7

KILN TO COLLECTION: CHINESE FAMILLE ROSE OCTAGONAL PLATE

A Chinese porcelain plate executed in an octagonal, lobed form, decorated in the 'fencai' (famille rose) enamel palette. The central medallion features an auspicious composition: a gu-form vase containing blooming branches, flanked by stylized pierced rockwork (Taihu stones) in layered blue enamels, with a songbird perched selectively on a floral bough. A geometric and floral border encircles the cavetto. The piece features a distinct 'zi kou' or brown-dressed rim. The reverse reveals a pale, slightly blue-tinted glaze ground, with an unglazed foot rim displaying prominent iron-oxide flashing ('iron-rust' shading) typical of late Qing firing environments. Centered on the base is a swiftly executed single-character mark in underglaze blue, enclosed within a classic double ring.

CLAY ACROSS CULTURES

Where This Object Echoes

Straits Chinese (Peranakan)Late 19th - Early 20th Century

Nyonya wares share profound aesthetic DNA with this plate, favoring similar vibrant pinks, greens, and auspicious bird-and-flower subjects for celebratory use.

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •Displayed or used during auspicious occasions such as Lunar New Year or weddings, where the rebus of the vase (ping) and flowers represents 'peace and prosperity'.

Meaning Through Time

18th Century

Famille rose was a technological marvel restricted to high-end bespoke and imperial commissions.

1900s

The palette became a bright, accessible marker of domestic celebration for the rising merchant class.

FROM KILN TO COLLECTOR

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Qing Dynasty waned, provincial kilns in Jingdezhen adapted to survive by producing robustly potted, vibrantly enameled wares for both the expanding domestic merchant class and specific export markets (such as the Southeast Asian Straits ...
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Qing Dynasty waned, provincial kilns in Jingdezhen adapted to survive by producing robustly potted, vibrantly enameled wares for both the expanding domestic merchant class and specific export markets (such as the Southeast Asian Straits settlements). This piece reflects the democratization of the famille rose palette—once an imperial monopoly utilizing costly gold-derived pinks—into a lively, commercial folk-art aesthetic.

KILN-SIDE SECRETS

1

The brown-dressed rim (often historically called a 'Batavian' edge) was not merely decorative; the iron-rich dressing was applied to mask edge fritting and reinforce the fragile lip of the plate.

2

The distinctive opaque pink enamel that defines 'famille rose' requires colloidal gold to produce. The technology for this 'purple of Cassius' was originally introduced to Chinese kilns by European Jesuit missionaries in the 1720s.

HOW SCARCE IS IT?

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

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

Typical Characteristics

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

Confidence Factors

  • The granular texture and iron flashing on the foot rim are authentic signs of wood-fired kiln environments typical of the era.
  • The execution style and palette are entirely consistent with late Qing/early Republic commercial wares, a category rarely targeted by sophisticated forgers.
  • The natural pooling and slight blue tint of the base glaze match documented period examples.
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Asian Art Specialist

East Asian Art Expert

High confidence is warranted here. The visual markers (enamel palette, foot rim characteristics, glaze tint, and form) perfectly synthesize to confirm a widely documented, late Qing/early Republic provincial export piece.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Presence of 'fencai' (famille rose) opaque pinks alongside thick, glassy greens and blues.
  • 2Octagonal molded shape with a brown-dressed rim (zi kou).
  • 3Unglazed foot rim displaying significant iron-oxide combustion flashing.
  • 4A pale, blue-tinted transparent glaze ground typical of late 19th-century provincial kilns.
  • 5Swiftly executed single-character underglaze blue mark inside double rings.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Conduct a tactile inspection for unseen edge repairs or rim chips masked by the brown dressing.
  • →View the plate closely under UV light to check for minor overpainting or hairline crack consolidations.

CONDITION & GRADE

Condition

Displays minor surface rubbing and micro-scratches to the overglaze enamels consistent with a century of light handling. The enamels remain remarkably bright. Foot rim shows normal kiln grit and oxidation. The user notes 'minor wear,' which aligns with the strong visual integrity of the main decorative elements.

Surface

The base glaze is a glossy, slightly pooled transparent white with a faint celadon-blue tinge. The overglaze enamels sit proud of the surface with a distinct tactile profile, particularly the thick, jewel-like blue and opaque pink elements. The foot rim is granular and unglazed, exhibiting natural orange-brown firing oxidation.

Weight & feel

Substantially potted; it lacks the eggshell thinness of 18th-century imperial wares, possessing a sturdy, utilitarian heft characteristic of late 19th to early 20th-century commercial kiln output.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$80 - $150

Updated: Apr 2, 2026

Who buys this

Entry-to-mid level collectors of Asian ceramics, interior decorators seeking authentic touches of 'chinoiserie', and enthusiasts of late Imperial Chinese folk art.

What increases value

  • •The octagonal form is highly desirable and commands a slight premium over standard round plates.
  • •The exceptionally bright and un-rubbed state of the central enamels.
  • •Lack of rim fritting or chips (which the brown dressed rim was intended to prevent).

What lowers value

  • •Hairline cracks (often invisible in photos) significantly reduce value.
  • •The market for late Qing folk/export wares relies entirely on decorative appeal; damage destroys this appeal instantly.

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Perfectly un-rubbed enamels with no firing flaws (black specking) in the white ground.
  • •Crisp, precise painting with finely detailed bird plumage.

Grade & condition

Condition is paramount: absence of chips, restoration, hairlines, and the retention of the original enamel gloss.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

CONTEXT ANALYSIS

How your provided context compares with Curiosa.com scanner findings.

What Aligned

  • User attribution of 'China' is correct, supported by paste, glaze, and palette.
  • User dating of '1900' is highly accurate; the potting weight and enamel styles firmly anchor this to the Late Qing (Guangxu) to early Republic transition period.
  • User assessment of 'Minor wear' aligns with the evident preservation of the thickly applied enamels without major noticeable loss.

FROM THE CABINET OF

BR

bruinsma
The Connoisseur•55 items

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