Help With Chinese Bird Statue

I have had this for years and never could figure out anything about it. It is just under 10" tall and marked on the inside with CHINA with a green wash over it. The Colors and glaze intrigued me since they almost look like Majolica to me. It is very detailed. I would appreciate any information (good or Bad) that you might know. I believe it is old, but I can't be sure. Looking inside it almost looks like it was made of plaster.

 

This is from gotheborg regarding the "China" stamp: The traditional wisdom has it that between around 1890 until c. 1920 all Chinese items that were to be imported into the US was required to be marked with the word "CHINA" as the country of origin (U.S. Stamp Act of 1894). Quite some uncomplicated research i. e. searching on the Internet confirms that this was not entirely true. Some were marked and some not. It is also far from certain that the practice of marking porcelain with the word CHINA actually ended in the 1920. Some porcelain I have found in Singapore marked in such way, the dealers have been very adamant that it dated to the 1970s. From 1919 the word "CHINA" should have been replaced by the phrase "Made in China" but despite this the single word "CHINA" occurred on pieces made well in to the 1960 and 1970s especially if other markets than North America are considered.

I first thought sancai glaze for your bird, but I guess not as sancai glaze is only 3 colors, and yours has 4.

I tend to think your piece is early 20th century, but hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along.

 

Thank you again Tie.Die. I appreciate the info. I had read that on goethborg and wasn't quite sure what to think, Awhile ago I also read something about the colors used over the China marlk meant something, but I can't find that info again. I just thought the glaze and colors were different then I have seen on any other MIC item.
I think it is early 20th too. may sound funny, but it "feels old"

 

I think the bird is supposed to be an Asian Pheasant.
I would think it comes from the same area as the mud men and probably dates to the early 1900s.
Just thinking out loud.

 

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Thank you for the input Pat. I read about Mudmen, and you have a point that this is much like that work, except for the clay is white. But from what I read. it seems like the way it was made matches pretty closely to mudmen.
Tie.die I had never heard sancai glazes.....so I looked that up too. The wikipedia file said that it was not just limited to 3 colors. although the glazes on my piece seemed a bit brighter and more controlled then the examples they showed, they look extremely close. Interesting stuff. I am learning a lot

 

Not mudman clay -- that's Shiwan and totally different colour. I'm thinking home decor item imported 1990s/early 2000s -- JMHO.

 

Thank you for your input Kentworld. I appreciate you taking the time to look and respond. I knew the clay wasn't even close to mudmen, but the way it appears to have been made, as far as I can tell, is the way Mudmen were made. But in all honesty I know nothing about this stuff. I just really liked the piece and will hang onto it for awhile, but was always curious about it. Thank you again!

 

The information provided by kentworld is incorrect. That is a chinese famille verte porcelain figure of a phoenix made between 1900 - 1949, not shiwan

 

I stand corrected!

 

So do I.

 

Thank you ALL for your help in solving this mystery piece of mine, and giving me avenues ro reasearch! I appreciate all the help. Best of all I have learned a lot from this! Thank you!