Featured Antique wood trays red wax seal

I bought these 2 wood trays yesterday and the old lady said they where Chinese, but the red seal wax mark says customs ???mission . I can't find this online anywhere, I am wondering how old they are, the lady dais they where old, are they from China or does anyone know what the red seal mark is ?

Thank You

Billy D.

 

They certainly look Chinese. The seal could mean it was approved for export. Mission probably refers to the representatives of a foreign country in China. There used to be European and American trade missions in China.
Many countries prohibit the export of items that are significant to the country's cultural heritage. Exporters will offer their items for approval and if export is permitted they will get paperwork and/or seals as proof.
You can find seals on antique items, but some sellers also offer new items for export approval, just to get a seal, so buyers will think it is old.
This doesn't apply here, your trays have genuine age.

 

Hi,
i was always told if an item has the wax seal it was okay to export and had no appeal as an antique even if it was very old. I have several ceramic pieces that have a seal and are over 175 yrs old. Was told that it was not an important piece so it was available to be sold.
greg

 

I've had 3 seals like that but never seen one so clear...that the seal itself looks new !!!

 

Lovely trays Billy !! ... Joy.

 

A while back we had a steamer trunk with a seal of this sort that seemed to have been applied when the luggage cleared customs, but earlier comments may be more applicable to this one.

 

Does anyone know when they first used that pattern on the nail heads shown in photo 5? I don't think it is terribly old but could be wrong.
Cheers
Stephen

 

WOW again, Thanks everyone, I cannot possibly reply to you all. I read all replies and I want to Thank everyone...

 

no worries Billy.....
u can always just hit the like icon at the bottom right of each post......just to say you find the post .....likeable !! hehehe!!!

But thanks is always welcomed....!!!

( just keep showing us ...cool stuff !! )

 

I don't know, but they were on my grandfather's WWI army chest.

 

See here for the various Chinese export seals:
http://gotheborg.com/marks/jianding.shtml

 

That explains the mission part. Permission.

 

Thank You but, I didn't see my seal there.

 

the 1st one is close.....maybe close enough.....

 

Thank You but, I still can't find any info on this seal. I typed in that name and no luck.

 

"Jian Ding" (Certified Export approval seal mark). This type seems to have come into use in about 1997.

 

Thanks so much for all the information in this post. Thanks architrave for the Gotheberg reference. I already had it bookmarked but didn't realise it contained Seal references. I have several ceramic pieces from China bought more than 20 years ago with Seals, but they are in storgae and I cant photograph them. Thanks all for very interesting discussion. And the trays are gorgeous.