'Meissen' Ginger Jar

[dondon1903]

Hello,

We came across this at an auction (that's where the photos are from). We've been digging around a wee bit and found something very very similar that was sold on ebay.

The thing is, the one we are looking at was dated 1700-1731 by the auctioneer. It's also got a slightly strange marking on the bottom that looks vaguely Meissen but we cant find an exact match. By all accounts there are more than a few fakes out there. The one on ebay (Dresden Hand-painted Cobalt Porcelain Ginger Ja) is from 1900 and has no marking on the bottom.

By the way .... Our one is quite badly cracked on the lid. It's not too obvious by the photos but on the inside of the lid someone has clearly had an accident and done a half decent job of fixing it!

Here's the ebay one ...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dresden-Hand-painted-Cobalt-Porcelain-Ginger-Jar-2-Lovers-Scene-Flowers-c-1900-/190835139732

The pics are our one..

[mart]

Mark doesn`t look like much of anything to me !! It isn`t Meissen !!

[Ipcress]

Well the one on Ebay is a fake / copy. The gilding and enameling is poor. The shade of blue is wrong

I seriously doubt this one is that old either. Looks like the cataloguer has dated this mainly on attributing the mark to early 18th century Meissen, which is a mistake.

This is similar to how it would look had it been made during that period. Obviously this is a vase but it illustrates the quality of gilding, the colours, the general quality

[Ipcress]

Mark doesn`t look like much of anything to me !! It isn`t Meissen !!

It's similar to the sceptre mark you see on some Meissen and Dresden, usually KPM though.

Looks like a blatant copy

[dondon1903]

The smaller splodge is a little star. The other one can only be described as a line with something 'snaked' round it....

[mart]

I thought it looked like something had been started then scribbled out !! Similar to a factory "second" !!

[KC]

That is what I was thinking Mart...that it resembled as seconds "mark out" mark!

[mart]

That could account for the crack in the lid !! Firing crack !! Makes the piece weaker, it eventually broke and was repaired by whoever had it !!  He said it was a pretty good repair and most of the firing cracks break pretty clean,, would be an easy fix !!

[Ipcress]

It's a mark that is seen on some very good porcelain. It's just been copied.

[mart]

Well,, since it just looks like a squiggle to me,,I will take your word for it !!

[Ipcress]

http://www.arts-antique.com/Meissen_Marks.htm
Mark 17. Similar to the Rod of Asclepius mark seen on Worcester in the UK. Can also look like the sceptre mark of KPM.
Used at a later time with the AR monogram




These are examples of the Rod Of Asclepius. ( often confused with the double snake, the Caduceus )

[dondon1903]

That could account for the crack in the lid !! Firing crack !! Makes the piece weaker, it eventually broke and was repaired by whoever had it !!  He said it was a pretty good repair and most of the firing cracks break pretty clean,, would be an easy fix !!

Look like it had been dropped. Lots of cracks ... Looked like some wee flakes had been stuck back in.. When we first looked at it we thought ... maybe the fact that they've went to the effort to fix it would suggest there is some value in it..

Thanks for the info folks. You really know yer stuff...

[mart]

Its very pretty regardless of value !!