Page 217 - Chinese Art, Vol II By Stephen W. Bushell

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MARKS AND SEALS. 57

CXgP^
Fu SHOU SHUANG Ch'iIan. Pi ting ju I.
A bat and two peaches. A Albrush-pencil, a cake of ink, and a
"rebus" rea<ling "Happiness jade sceptre. A "rebus" reading
and longevity, both complete!" " May it be fixed as you wish ! "

6. Potters' Marks.
Potters' marks are comparatively rare in China, although very
common in Japan. The first of the three which follow is taken
from an archaic crackle vase of greyish tone decorated with coloured
glazes of the Ming period : it is read in inverse fashion from left
to right. The next two are marks stamped in the dark brown
paste of characteristic fJambi' vases of Kuang Yao pottery, which are
sometimes from their archaic aspect mistaken for productions of the
Sung dynasty : the marks record the names of two potters, probably
brothers, who are said to have lived early in the eighteenth century.
The last inscription, overleaf, which is remarkable forits length,
is taken from a pair of portly blue and white pricket candlesticks,
two and a third feet high, in my own possession, part of a wu knng
altar set, which was specially made in 1741 as an ex voto offering
for a Taoist temple near Peking by T'ang Ying, the celebrated
director of the imperial porcelain manufactory at Chingtechen.

Kg Minghsiangchih. Ko Yuan hsiang chih.
Wu CiiEN HsiEN Yao. "Made by Ko Ming- "Made by Ko Yuan-
"Pottery of WuChOu-hsieii. hsiang." hsiang."