Featured Possible Ming Sancai?

I was hoping for any info about this battered pair. I've recently learned that it could be Sancai, so obviously that got me excited.. then after doing some research learned that era is rife with modern fakes. I also read that there was a revival of the 3-coloured technique in the late 19th.


I have found one piece that is identical in colouring and technique, but a different subject listed as late Ming... really looks like it could be made by the same artist: https://www.trocadero.com/stores/ir...-sancai-glaze-figure-seated-lady/enlargement1

Any thoughts?

Measurements: H20cm W17cm D9cm - heavy for its size at 1.4kg.


Thanks

 

It is a lovely pair, esc, really charming. How did you come by it?

Sancai means three colours, like you see on the famous Tang horses. Your pair has more, but many people call it Sancai anyway.
Sancai, etc wares have been around for centuries and are still being made. It is not more special or more collectible than celadon, blue and white, etc, just different.

But not the same glaze. The glaze on yours is more glossy and less crazed. The faces are different, so attributing it to the same artist/workshop is iffy anyway. These were not made by single artists, but in workshops which could be as big as modern day factories.

There has been a highly professional fakes industry in recent decades, which is something to bear in mind. It is always best to buy these with provenance.

 

Just my impression, but the damage on one of the heads doesn't look like real damage.

It looks like it has been painted around an area that wasn't damaged in the first place

I like it though

 

Here are some details:

 

Is it glue spots on the head damage part, are the glue blobs smooth ?

 

It's very hard to see as the spots are so small. Could it be sand that has glassified during the firing process - reaffirming it was created with this 'damage' in place?




I did notice some kind of glue or resin elsewhere, shown here between his hand and incense jar:



And possibly here, in his ears?


Any ideas what these holes are for? I found a couple:



Lastly, and I don't know how I didn't spot this earlier, but there is some kind of metallic paint on the side of one guys face.

I found this piece at the bottom of a box covered by other objects (including heavy metal stuff) at a car boot sale. So I'm hoping this paint could be explained by kids messing around with it at some point?

 

Those are glaze puddles, nothing to worry about.

 

Vent holes, so it doesn't crack during firing.

 

Could be.
esc, I really like this pair, but it is one of those things that poses a bit of a problem when dating it, because of those good quality fakes which can even fool experts.
One more question, do the holes in the base smell musty?

 

looks more convincing of a break close up

if it is all fake aging, its an art form in itself !

 

It is, nowadays. But I am inclined to say this is antique. Whether Qing, or the coveted Ming, I don't know.

 

thats my gut feeling as well

 

Honestly, I'd be happy with it being a Qing 'homage' piece. Although I still think it compares favourably with the auction example linked to in my first post.


I've put them together, side-by-side for easier comparison. Their image is copyrighted, so I won't post it here, but can be opened from my dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tttfk2q4dgf1uin/Comparison.png?dl=0


Also keep in mind that mine has been run through photoshop to try and compensate for indoor lighting... so contrast and colour intensity might be off. The image from the auction site is terrible actually - far too heavy on the contrast.

 

Looking at all the pictures of the 1st one linked at the beginning,

I would question that one a whole lot less

Facially it's much better

Also looking at the base of the other one, you can see the aging internally as well, It doesn't show that at all on your one

 

Aren't these the most endearing Darby and Joan?

 

on my base photo's i did increase the brightness drastically to get a better look into the holes - so they're not that light.

 

But do they smell musty?

 

Well at least this love looks reciprocated

 

Doesn't look like the same artist to me. Yours appears to have been done by a better artist. The expressions on the faces of yours are priceless!

 

This would never have been painted around the damages, created to completion with the "'damage' in place" - is that what you meant?