This is a hand painted Chinese export, blue and white porcelain bowl, Ch'ing (Qing) Dynasty, early 19th century.

The interior of the bowl is decorated with stylized foliage and flowers in lighter shades of cobalt blue.

This pottery was fired in a wood burning kiln. Pieces further away from the fire had a more pale color than those close to the fire. Another characteristic of this period are kiln firing faults such as pitting caused by flecks or other oily materials preventing the glaze covering the porcelain in some areas. Probably up to 70% of early Chinese pottery had kiln firing "faults". Rust spots are often found on early pottery pieces of the earlier Ming period up into the Qing period as iron oxide from the clay begins to come out to the surface of the pieces, a process that takes hundreds of years. This is very hard, if not impossible, to fake on later pieces. Glaze contractions are also common during this period.

The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or repairs.

Measures: 

3 1/2" high,

11 ¾" in diameter at top,

5" in base diameter.

Weighs approximately 3 pounds.

*Please note, we are not experts in Asian antiques.