Page 392 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

glaze to which Chinese connoisseurs give a place

among Imperial Wares. Many Western collectors

will doubtless hold that the close, circular " fish-roe "

crackle commonly seen on good pieces of turquoise

blue is an additional charm. It is at all events cer-

tain that among the latter are to be found numerous

specimens of great merit. Many of them are

modelled after ancient bronzes, not only the shapes

of the latter but also their designs, incised and in relief,

being accurately reproduced. The Chinese potters

were also fond of using turquoise blue as a body

colour in statuettes of sacred personages and mythical

animals. In such cases they often combine it with

purple and occasionally with yellow and white glazes,

sacrificing every principle of congruity to their love

of rich, striking tints. It is curious that this prosti-

tution of beautiful materials and skilled technique to

barbaric conceptions should have found so much

favour with Western collectors. Jacquemart men-

tions that ware of this description was much prized

Hein France at the end of the last century. in-

stances small pieces which were sold at auction for

prices ranging from 340 to 1,800 francs, and adds

that, in his own time (1875), a vase decorated with a

group of carp in violet swimming among aquatic
plants in turquoise blue fetched as much as 3,000

francs. Purchasers of such pieces cannot be said to

have attached much value to artistic congruity.
"
As a rule only the choicest variety of the king-

" monochrome is marked the mark generally
;
fisher

being a year period engraved in seal character.