Chinese Brass Plate. Real or Repro?

[snowflake]

My Mom asked me to put this one up. I tried to find out years ago but had no luck. The other day I looked into it and found a similar one here:
http://www.asianart.com/phpforum/index.php?method=detailAll&Id=51342

This is what one person had to say about it:
"The apocryphal six-character mark on the base says 'Made during the Xuande Reign of the Great Ming Dynasty' (1426-35) and has a flawed look around the fringes. The motif on the other side, featuring dragons on the rim and a martial figure in the center, is stylistically similar to late Qing and Republic metal wares I've seen in the past..."

There is a crack in the plate that goes straight through to the back. Is it an obvious fake? Or would it be worth paying someone to look at it? I would hate to pay money if it is just a fake.

Thanks

[snowflake]

This is a picture of the crack and some more detail.
The plate is 10 3/4 inches and feels heavy. I don't have a scale to weigh it.

[snowflake]

I've since found this bit of info from this site:
http://www.cathaytrader.com/asian-antiques-chinese-works-of-art/chinese-bronze-vase-xuande-mark/

"In the early Qing Dynasty, during 17th and 18th centuries, many pieces of bronze were made which bear the mark of the Ming Emperor, Xuande (1426 – 1435), most commonly bronze censers. This vase was made during the reign of the Qing Emperor Kangxi (1662 – 1722). Asian antiques, particularly Chinese porcelain and Chinese works of art very often bear the reign marks of earlier periods. These marks were usually added as an act of homage to the quality of workmanship of the earlier period, rather than a deliberate attempt to deceive."

And now for a stupid question: I don't know much about metals. Maybe it is bronze? >Insert blush here<

[mart]

In your first pic there is some lettering on the left of it,, what is that ??  Where did your mother get the plate ??

[snowflake]

We always wondered what that said. I tried for ages to figure it out. I ended up finding another item and I am sure if you turn it, it says (or is supposed to say)
"Made in China". I had bookmarked a bunch of pages to show it here and for some reason I can't find them. Checked my laptop too! Nothing. So now I'm trying to hunt it down again.

We don't know anything about it. It belonged to my Grandfather. My Gran gave it to my Mom when he passed in 1973. He was originally from England, came to Canada on his own when he was 16. He was a stonemason.

I will try my best to find that other link again.

[mart]

I think its brass,, possibly from Phillipines ??  Was your Grandad in WW II ??

[snowflake]

I asked my Mom and she said he wasn't in the war. He was born in 1903 and that would have made him 36 when it started. Most Canadians didn't really go until the early 40's. I know his health wasn't good because of his occupation so maybe that is why. I don't think he ever traveled anywhere after he came to Canada.

[mart]

Even if he didn`t,, could have maybe been a keepsake from another family member, or that he purchased it there !!

[snowflake]

True, Mart. I never met anyone else from his family and I was a toddler when he passed. I wish I knew more about him.   

I found the links I was looking for! Is it okay to use snippet and post a photo of it here or should I just put the link?

[fancypants]

I'd say my opinion would be Chinese manufacture , with a fake "Da Ming Xuande Nian Zhi" cast hallmark .
Most often , in my experience , these hallmarks are very well defined & crafted in the 'genuine article' , very much unlike the one on your item .

I will guess that yours is cast brass , with hand-carved features on the obverse & that it comes from 1930's thru 1950's era ... &/or 'home-produced' during the 'Cultural Revolution' , when many rural Chinese were forced into home-smelting of pig iron for the country .

I'd identify it as a 'tourist-type' item .
 
The cool thing is that the carver/metalworker/artist signed it on the reverse - most of these types of items I've seen lack a sig .

[snowflake]

Thanks, fancypants.

I did find some interesting things and will post it here for information sake. Maybe this will help other people who have the same questions as I did.

The picture with the mark was found here:
http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?/topic/32477-bronze-vase-from-ming-period/

A response from another person about it:
"for the fake of correctness it should be said that this is a fake mark.
The third character in the first picture (middle, bottom) is written as it would today in common Chinese. But, actually, since the Ming dynasty this character has always been written without the horizontal stroke (in the middle of the character).
Any antiques having the stroke are fakes, this is valid for other antique items too.
Even censers made nowadays often use the Ming Xuande mark, and many go without that stroke."

The other picture "Made in China" was found here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Antique-Chinese-Brass-Bowl-w-Wooden-Stand-Dragon-/200598432574

You have to scroll down to 3/4's of page to view it. But that is what had me thinking it was what mine was supposed to say. The bowl looks like a similar design.

I'll tell Mom she's not rich and has to keep her day job!   

[mart]

Tell your mom not to feel too bad,,,none of us are rich yet either !!