Topic: Asian (Chinese) glass...

[Piper]

I have these two chinese bottles. They're about 4 1/2" tall. they appear to be totally hand-painted and are signed on the bottom with Chinese characters. I've been researching these for about a year and I've managed to do is confuse myself. Any info on these would be very appreciated.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/zatzafraz/Picture012.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/zatzafraz/Picture010.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/zatzafraz/Picture011.jpg

Thanks for any help.
-Piper

[Leni]

Are you sure they're Chinese and not Japanese?   

I like the little pink bats!   

Edit:
On the other hand, if there are five bats they are almost certainly Chinese, 'cos they're considered lucky!   

[Piper]

I like those bats too. There is 8 of them 

These could possibly be Japanese but I'm pretty sure they are chinese. the markings on the bottom are small and neat. Japanese marks are usually looser. Also, the ring painted around the bottom indicates Chinese origin. These are rife with Chinese symbolism: Bats, bamboo, peony blossoms, ect. Plus the leaf decorations painted around the neck of the bottle with the bird looks Chinese to me.

[Tigerchips]

Shot in the dark. 

...Perhaps they're trying to look like jade snuff bottles of the 19th century?

[josordoni]

They are Chinese. The top left character means "made during" the top right gives the period.  Have a good look through Chinese Marks at Gotheborg.com and you will find both the top lines.  Looks like (working from the pic with the marks) the mark on the left could be late 19th century, the one on the right mid 20th.   I can't find the bottom lines, but these usually designate who made the piece or give more info about where.

Sorry I can't help more.

[Piper]

  I thought that they might be snuff bottles too. But they are a bit too tall and their necks are too long. Most likely they are perfume or vanity bottles. They both appear to have had stoppers at one time so I'm sure they aren't vases.

...Gotheborg is a great site!! Thanks for pointing it out to me. But the marks on bottom is where I started getting confused. I too pegged the marks at about 50 years apart with the "Bat bottle" being made earlier. However, I think both these bottles were made by the same person about the same time. The glass on both bottles are nearly identicle. The colors used to paint them are identicle. The black lines around the bottom rim is also identicle and finally, they are both signed in the same color and in the same size characters. These are just weird.
-Piper.

[Leni]

the marks on bottom is where I started getting confused. I too pegged the marks at about 50 years apart with the "Bat bottle" being made earlier. However, I think both these bottles were made by the same person about the same time.

Unfortunately, Chinese marks are notoriously unreliable.  They have been 'fibbing' about the age of things for hundreds of years!     They call it 'Honouring the Ancestors', I believe   

Fantastic site for marks, though!  Thanks, Lynne 

[josordoni]

It's a good one! 

We should all be able to do a David Battie soon...

[Piper]

  Boy do I love this Gotheborg site!! Thanks again for suggesting it.

The Chinese honouring their ancestors...I had the same problem with a pair of Chinese paintings. One appeared to be quite old and painted by a master while one was painted in the exact same style, had the same seal and cchop mark but seemed to be about a hundred years newer. And the new one completed the story of the paintings. Interesting and so confusing!!

I've always loved the bottle with the bats on it. What I'd like to get is something with a three legged frog, the Chinese symol of the supernatural or dreams. Bats and frogs just go hand and hand.

[josordoni]

Bats and frogs just go hand and hand.

Or wing in foot.