Page 449 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

REPRODUCTIONS. 241

EXCEPTIONAL PIECES.

We have seen how very little, as in the case of Nos. 308,
330, has to serve at times as a guide to which particular class
some pieces should belong, while there are instances where the
decoration is of a nature that the only plan seems to be to
group such pieces in a class by themselves under the name
"
of
exceptional pieces."
Nos. 421, 422. Pear-shaped bottles with collar on neck.
Height, 10h inches. No mark. The decoration is in green,
red, and other colours. The entire surface is covered with
bands in brown, over which is the coloured decoration.
spiral
These are a of Venetian It will be
evidently copy glass.
noticed that there a on the
is
chrysanthemum arabesque
collars with the below.
sweet-flag pattern

EEPEODUCTIONS.

We have seen by the history of King-te-chin that from
times attention was to the of
early great paid reproduction
ancient There can be no doubt but that at certain
pieces.
the imitations were much more beautiful than the
periods
and are now The and
originals, justly prized. making
decorating of fine porcelain has never been quite a lost art
in China, and of late years may have said to have revived,
the colours now used in the painting of some of the best pieces
coming so dangerously near the old work, that it is impossible
for any but an expert to tell the one from the other. To be
an to be
expert, it is necessary continually handling specimens
of all kinds, ever on the outlook for fresh tricks ; and this
it is almost for amateurs to obtain unless
experience impossible
15
in touch with the trade.
daily
15
The Chinese are engaged at the present clay in making desperate efforts
to imitate every class of old porcelain prized by themselves, and amateurs
have to be on their guard against these.— T. J. L.
R