Page 125 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

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SINGLE-COLOR SPECIMENS

Among the transcendent creations of Chinese ceremists, aside from

their decorated porcelains, monochrome types have figured with consid-

erable distinction hom remote periods to the present day. In a general
way, it may be gathered from early records that single-colored objects
antedate decorated porcelains by many centuries. The several periods

certainly have produced a remarkable variety of monochrome pieces,
and of these the red-colored glazes (derived from the oxide of copper and

—gold), i.e., "sang de boeuf," the "peach-skin" or "peau-de-peche"

"ruby," and " rose "-carmine ("yen-chi,") or "rouge d'or" are most es-
teemed ; the other reds which are of the same oxide include the "sang-
de-pigeon," "crushed-strawberry," and "liver" tints; the reds from the
oxide of iron include the coral and varying shades of vermilion.

COLOR OF THE PEACH

The so-called "peach-bloom" glaze is the rarest of the red varieties.

True specimens of this class are small and of uniformly high character,
in the best quality of paste, perfect glazing, and of singularly attractive

forms. As the number of these beautiful examples are most limited, it

is possible that they were made for the palace by some particular potter
who alone had the secret or skill of producing this glaze. All the au-

thentic pieces bear the characteristic six character marks (in fine blue un-
der the glaze) of the K'ang-hsi period in unique perfection. All later
reproductions are therefore readily distinguishable, and in all particulars,

— —glaze, paste, or form, as also by the marks.

Some writers have concluded that the so-called "peach-bloom" was
an "over-fire" accident when the glazes of the "sang-de-boeuf" varie-

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