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I am interested in getting started with Chinese porcelains and have read quite a bit about them.
I would like to learn more about it through you.
I have a Chenghua Cup (wucai or doucai - appreciate if you clarify the difference) dia 8.1 cm, ht 5.5 cm and base dia 3.5 cm. It is decorated with four kui dragon medallions. There is the characteristic of microscopic bubbles in the cobalt areas of the six character reign marks encircled by 2 circles on the base and there is also the characteristics of haziness or smoky effect in the marks.
Chenghua wares are extremely rare and to have one like this (if authentic) is exciting. Could you please tell me more about Chenghua's wares and what other characteristics it has pertaining to that period.
There is no easy way to give you any further information regarding this by words only, that could be of any real value to you - but to summarize my experience of genuine Chenghua pieces I could say that; if you are confident in the question on marks and style of the piece - and you are prepared to bet your life on that it is a Kangxi, but it still does not really fit - it might be a Chenghua.
Regarding the difference of wucai or doucai, "wucai" means "five colors" and is a kind of enamels only decoration while "doucai" are enamels combined with underglaze blue.
Jan-Erik Nilsson
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