Can anyone translate old Chinese inscription?

[Winston]

This might be of interest.

Qing Reign Marks on Chinese Porcelain
http://ceramics.chalre.com/authenticatin..._marks.htm

[rgG]

Winston wrote:
And, it's the Year of the Dog! Must be auspicious.

Happy New Year to them.


- W

You are correct!
I really like them but we probably would have sold them as part of her estate except they are ivory so they cannot be sold. A few years back, I believe, they could have been sold because they were antique ivory, but now apparently no ivory can be sold, or traded or anything. I agree with the ivory ban 100% but it makes it difficult to know what to do with something like this.

We have a very ornate antique chess set, also antique ivory from her estate, that we are looking for a museum or university or someplace that would be interested in taking it. I think that is all we can legally do with it.

These small dogs are small enough just to sit quietly on the shelf and gather dust, while being appreciated by me for their fine artistry even though I despise the medium, but the chess set is just too big and delicate and needs a more appropriate home.

[rgG]

Winston wrote:
This might be of interest.

Qing Reign Marks on Chinese Porcelain
http://ceramics.chalre.com/authenticatin..._marks.htm

That is very interesting and the marks do look like they match. The ceramic mark has a couple of extra characters, but maybe that is because it is ceramic and these are carvings.

[Winston]

And Foo Dogs are actually Guardian Lions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions
"Chinese guardian lions are sometimes referred to in English as shishi, from the Chinese shi shi pinyin: shishi; literally: "stone lion"), which refers specifically to lion sculptures in stone."

"The lions are usually depicted in pairs. When used as statuary the pair would consist of a male leaning his paw upon an embroidered ball (in imperial contexts, representing supremacy over the world ) and a female restraining a playful cub that is on its back (representing nurture )."

"According to feng shui, correct placement of the lions is important to ensure their beneficial effect. When looking out of a building through the entrance to be guarded, looking in the same direction as the lions, the male is placed on the left and the female on the right. So when looking at the entrance from outside the building, facing the lions, the male lion with the ball is on the right, and the female with the cub is on the left."


- W

[Winston]

rgG wrote:
I really like them but we probably would have sold them as part of her estate except they are ivory so they cannot be sold. A few years back, I believe, they could have been sold because they were antique ivory, but now apparently no ivory can be sold, or traded or anything. I agree with the ivory ban 100% but it makes it difficult to know what to do with something like this.

We have a very ornate antique chess set, also antique ivory from her estate, that we are looking for a museum or university or someplace that would be interested in taking it. I think that is all we can legally do with it.

These small dogs are small enough just to sit quietly on the shelf and gather dust, while being appreciated by me for their fine artistry even though I despise the medium, but the chess set is just too big and delicate and needs a more appropriate home.

As I understand it, antique ivory items can be sold, but you have to have some kind of proof that they were purchased in the distant past. This can be family records, such as it being mentioned in an estate or earlier accounting, or a sales receipt. They can also be carbon dated, although that might cost a few hundred dollars to do.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/ener...bc6b28062a
"Antiques at least a century old are also exempt, but owners must prove an artifact’s age through a professional appraisal or some other document that can be verified . . ."

Not an expert on this, but you might want to do some additional investigation of the options. Some detailed info here:
https://www.fws.gov/international/travel...swers.html


The only ivory item we have that I know of is a piano made in 1903 inherited from a great-great aunt, which has ivory keys. I imagine it will stay in the family, but I'd be annoyed if the government ever prevented it being sold solely for that reason.


Good luck.

- Winston

[rgG]

Winston wrote:
And Foo Dogs are actually Guardian Lions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions
"Chinese guardian lions are sometimes referred to in English as shishi, from the Chinese shi shi pinyin: shishi; literally: "stone lion"), which refers specifically to lion sculptures in stone."

"The lions are usually depicted in pairs. When used as statuary the pair would consist of a male leaning his paw upon an embroidered ball (in imperial contexts, representing supremacy over the world ) and a female restraining a playful cub that is on its back (representing nurture )."

"According to feng shui, correct placement of the lions is important to ensure their beneficial effect. When looking out of a building through the entrance to be guarded, looking in the same direction as the lions, the male is placed on the left and the female on the right. So when looking at the entrance from outside the building, facing the lions, the male lion with the ball is on the right, and the female with the cub is on the left."


- W

After looking very closely, they are slightly different, one is the male with the ball and the other is the female with the cub. I would probably not have noticed that. Thanks again for all the really great info.

FYI, I just coincidentally have the placed correctly, per the above, except they are on either side of the TV and not a doorway. Lol

[NewtonMP2100]

.....it says....'Made in China'......in Chinese.......

[hal]

the TV is a doorway in a way...

glad to see the forum still 'works'

[voodoopenguin]

Be aware that there is a large percentage of old Chinese items that are incorrectly named underneath. They might still be antique (over 100 years) but it was very common for items produced in the 19C to have markings from the 18C, 17C or earlier. They can still have a good value.

Sarah's family (father and grandfather) had collected Chinese items over the years and we still have a reasonable collection including a number of pairs of foo dogs.

A slightly amusing anecdote from a few years ago. When my mother-in-law died we brought in an antiques expert from a good auction house to do the probate. Based on the values I had the job of helping to distribute some items fairly between Sarah and her two siblings and sending other pieces to auction. The expert prided himself on his knowledge of Oriental antiques and the various auctions went well. There was a large famille rose bowl he had valued at about £1200 and I noted that it hadn't sold unlike most other pieces. I enquired and he was full of apology. When doing the probate he had been very good at examining the pieces carefully but he didn't check the bowl fully as it contained potpourri and some other small items. Because there was so much antique stuff he had assumed this was of a similar age. So was it even Chinese I asked. Oh yes, we are certain it's Chinese as underneath there is a stamp saying "MADE IN CHINA". His colleagues still rib him over it and we still have the very beautiful but not so very old bowl.

Paul

[rgG]

voodoopenguin wrote:
Be aware that there is a large percentage of old Chinese items that are incorrectly named underneath. They might still be antique (over 100 years) but it was very common for items produced in the 19C to have markings from the 18C, 17C or earlier. They can still have a good value.

Sarah's family (father and grandfather) had collected Chinese items over the years and we still have a reasonable collection including a number of pairs of foo dogs.

A slightly amusing anecdote from a few years ago. When my mother-in-law died we brought in an antiques expert from a good auction house to do the probate. Based on the values I had the job of helping to distribute some items fairly between Sarah and her two siblings and sending other pieces to auction. The expert prided himself on his knowledge of Oriental antiques and the various auctions went well. There was a large famille rose bowl he had valued at about £1200 and I noted that it hadn't sold unlike most other pieces. I enquired and he was full of apology. When doing the probate he had been very good at examining the pieces carefully but he didn't check the bowl fully as it contained potpourri and some other small items. Because there was so much antique stuff he had assumed this was of a similar age. So was it even Chinese I asked. Oh yes, we are certain it's Chinese as underneath there is a stamp saying "MADE IN CHINA". His colleagues still rib him over it and we still have the very beautiful but not so very old bowl.

Paul

It is so hard after someone dies, to get the estate valued and either sold or distributed. My MIL had a LOT of stuff. We have gotten most of it sold/distributed but now we are down to the last bits, since her home is finally under contract, so we have to get it cleared out. We have had good luck with the two auction houses we used, but boy has it been a lot of work, mostly for my husband, who is the executor.