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Chinese Blue and White with Underglaze Red 'Dragon' Bottle Vase, Qianlong Mark

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Estimated value

$400 - $1,200

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Category

Ceramics & Pottery

Era

Late 19th to early 20th century

Origin

China

Visual assessment

Photo-based interpretation · not authenticated

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CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE WITH UNDERGLAZE RED 'DRAGON' BOTTLE VASE, QIANLONG MARK: IDENTIFICATION

A porcelain bottle vase (tianqiuping variant) decorated in underglaze blue and copper-red. The body features a five-clawed dragon amidst stylized 'cloud and mist' motifs, rising above turbulent cresting waves. The base bears a six-character underglaze blue zhuanshu (seal script) mark of Emperor Qianlong.

Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Chinese Blue and White 'Dragon' Meiping Vase, Qianlong Mark, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain 'Dragon and Phoenix' Charger, Blue and White Moon Flask (Bianhu) with Qianlong Mark.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

The combination of underglaze blue (cobalt) and underglaze red (copper) was a technically demanding process revived during the Qing Dynasty, particularly under the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736–1795). Copper red is notoriously difficult to fire, often turning grey or liver-colored if the kiln atmosphere

Read full story

is not perfectly reductive. While the mark indicates the 18th century, the crispness of the wave lines suggests this may be a late 19th-century Guangxu period or early 20th-century Republic period production utilizing an apocryphal Qianlong mark.

SCARCITY

Average · 4/10 estimated rarity

This is a qualitative collection score, not a measured survival count, market percentile or proof of authenticity.

Visual assessment

Photographs alone cannot establish authenticity. The following analysis notes have not been independently verified; references to a match or confirmation are interpretations, not documentary evidence.

  • The seal mark displays mechanical precision often associated with late 19th or 20th-century 'mark and period' style copies.
  • Copper-red distribution lacks the 'heaped and piled' unevenness found in authentic 18th-century imperial examples.
  • The wave pattern at the base is rendered with modern linework consistency.
What photo analysis can and cannot establish

ANALYSIS NOTES

AI-assisted notes based on the photographs and supplied context. These are interpretations, not an examination by a human specialist or proof of authenticity.

Identification of the type and mark is certain, but dating requires physical examination to distinguish between late Qing and Republic period production. The high-risk score reflects the high volume of apocryphal Qianlong marks in the market.

OBSERVATIONS & INTERPRETATIONS

  • 1Presence of a six-character Qianlong zhuanshu mark.
  • 2Technical combination of cobalt blue and copper red pigments.
  • 3Use of five-clawed dragon iconography.
  • 4Footrim showing a rounded 'bull-nose' profile common in later Qing porcelain.

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •The blue lines in the wave pattern are too uniform and lack the tonal depth of 18th-century cobalt.
  • •The base glaze is exceptionally white and lacks the slight 'muslin' texture or greenish-blue tint (yingqing) often seen in early Qianlong wares.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Provide a high-resolution, magnified image of the mark to check for hand-drawn vs. stamped characteristics.
  • →Examine the interior of the neck for glaze 'crawling' or iron spots.
  • →Perform a weight-to-volume test to assess porcelain density.
COLLECTOR GLOSSARY (3 terms)
Zhuanshu
Seal script used in Chinese calligraphy and frequently for reign marks on porcelain.
Underglaze Red
A decoration technique using copper oxide applied to the unfired body before glazing.
Apocryphal Mark
A reign mark indicating an earlier period than when the object was actually made, often intended as a tribute or to deceive collectors.

Condition & estimated grade

A visual condition estimate. This is not a professional grading certificate.

Grading breakdown

Grade assessment requires physical inspection for resonance (sounding the porcelain) and UV light examination for professional restoration.

Condition

Glaze appears intact with no visible hairlines or chips in the provided images. The unglazed footrim shows typical light oxidation and kiln grit.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$400 - $1,200

Estimate recorded: May 11, 2026

Estimate context (not a documented sale): Similar late-Qing marked vases typically achieve between $500–$1,500 at regional auction houses like Christie's South Kensington (historical) or specialized Asian art sales.

Who buys this

Generalist Asian art collectors and interior designers seeking the classical 'imperial' aesthetic.

What increases value

  • •Clarity of the copper-red pigment
  • •Absence of hairlines or restoration
  • •Precision of the seal mark calligraphy

What lowers value

  • •The market is heavily saturated with 20th-century copies of this specific motif
  • •Loss of color in the copper-red firing (grey zones) significantly lowers value

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Genuine 18th-century provenance
  • •Sophisticated use of 'shading' in the cobalt clouds
  • •Translucent 'mutton-fat' quality to the porcelain paste

Grade & condition

Glaze integrity, pigment vibrancy, and footrim condition.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandModerate liquidity
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For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

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