Q & A

J.E. writes from Mississauga, Ontario writes:

I would like some information on the following vase. It stands approximately 10 inches high, and was bought in England by my grandfather from an antique shop well over 50 years ago. It has been in the family ever since and is in immaculate condition. Any help would be appreciated.

We asked Colin Ritchie to respond:

This one is a Chinese "Crackle-Glaze" Vase, dating from the early 20th century (probably pre-1st War). It is painted in a rose-verte palette (combination of famille-rose and famille-verte enamel colours). The base shows an incised pseudo emperor's reign mark, these are usually copies of popular Ming Dynasty marks, unlikely meant to deceive but added rather to create added interest. These wares were made for export to the west and came in a wide range of sizes from under 1 foot high to well over 3 feet high and were often in pairs. An auction estimate or fair market value would be under $ 100.00.