Bowl, porcelain with painted overglaze enamel, China, ca. 1920-35

This bowl is painted in overglaze enamels of green, yellow, red, pink, blue, white and black colours. Different kinds of flowers rather unnaturally grow out of the same branch, including the chrysanthemum, peach blossom, camellia and prunus. The mark Jiangxi Guangya Gongsi (Guangya Company of Jiangxi) is written in overglaze red on the base.

The Guangya Company was one of the many, probably small-sized kilns operating during the Republican period (1911-1937). By then the term gongsi was no longer restricted to state-sponsored enterprises (see no.75), but extended to include companies founded with share capital. Whilst some porcelain decorators from that era became famous and had left their names on a great number of wares, very little has been written about the factories functioning during that very difficult period. The present bowl is dated to the years 1920-1935 by comparison with works of known craftsmen.

Bought in Stockholm by Rose Kerr, Acting Keeper FED.

The Guangya Company was one of the many (probably small-size) kilns operating in China during the Republican period (1911-1937). Some porcelain decorators from that era became famous, and their names appear on a great number of wares. However, very little has been written about how the factories functioned in those days, when warlords battled with one another in their attempts to seize control of the country.

FE.22-1987