Vintage Chinoiserie Cache Pot

Details

Description

This is a beautifully ornate ceramic vessel, likely a vintage or antique Chinese porcelain jardinière or cachepot, featuring:

Main Features:
… Read more This is a beautifully ornate ceramic vessel, likely a vintage or antique Chinese porcelain jardinière or cachepot, featuring:

Main Features:
• Form & Structure:
• A wide, shallow bowl with two handles.
• Set in a decorative metal base, which may be bronze or a similarly patinated metal.
• The bowl has a scalloped rim edged in green and yellow-glazed handles.
• Decoration:
• Hand-painted famille rose-style motifs, with colorful floral and phoenix-like bird elements.
• The decoration is highly detailed, incorporating scrollwork, flowers, birds, and possibly mythical creatures, all in vibrant pinks, greens, and golds.
• Surface:
• Noticeable crackling (crazing) of the glaze, which is typical of older porcelain and can add to its charm and collectible value.
• Base Mark:
• The underside bears a red stamp mark in Chinese characters. This indicates it was likely made in China, possibly during the Republic period (early 20th century), or it could be a 20th-century reproduction in a traditional style.

Interpretation of the Mark (bottom photo):

The red stamp reads “華窯堂製”, which translates to something like:
• 華 – “Hua” (possibly referencing China or the name of a kiln/factory)
• 窯堂 – “Kiln Hall”
• 製 – “Made” or “Manufactured”

This kind of stamp was commonly used in decorative wares made for domestic use or export. While it doesn’t indicate a specific famous maker, it is consistent with quality porcelain from the early-to-mid 20th century.

Use & Display:

This piece may have originally been used as a planter (cachepot) or a decorative basin, and now it would make an excellent display piece. The combination of ceramic and metal suggests a deliberate aesthetic fusion, possibly European-influenced chinoiserie or export ware. See less