The backgound to how these pieces came to be is probably to be found in the difficulties that was met with in China proper during the Cultural Revolution when also much porelain decoration and trade moved out to Hong Kong and as it seems, Macao. The reason we call these pieces "Macao style" is that some pieces have been found with a "Macao" sticker and some with the name Macao actually added to the mark.
There is as always a conflict between marks and reality and some "Macao" pieces does seems to come with a "Hong Kong" mark too, and it is actually not far between those two places. So whether there actually ever were a Macao porcelain factory or not remains unclear until further but the style of this group is however easily recognized from its slightly un-Chinese style and its slightly muddled enamels. It would be great if someone who lived around there would be able to confirm where this porcelain in that case were made or decorated, since it is still not that long ago.
Until further I have decided to at least grope these marks together to make it easier to identify this group. As the century draws to its close - though - I would say that from around the late 1970's it is until further not possibly to differentiate between actual Macao decorated pieces from those decorated in Hong Kong, or for that matter China Proper pieces.
| 'Qianlong' mark, six character, 1965 or later |
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1388. Mark: Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi meaning: "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". On the base a paper label, Chinese porcelain decorated in Macao. Date: probably c. 1970.
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792. Mark: Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi meaning: "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". The three words below the mark reads Ao Men Zao meaning "made in Macau". Date: probably c. 1970.
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841. Mark: Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi meaning: "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". The three words below the mark reads Ao Men Zao meaning "made in Macau". The decoration is characterised by clear printed outlines, carelessly filled in with watery transparent enamel colors. Date: probably c. 1970.
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559. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Qianlong Period Made". 'Macao style' enamels. Mid 20th Century.
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636. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Qianlong Period Made". Tentatively suggested to be "Macao Style" but uncertain until furter. Probably 3rd quarter of 20th century.
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495. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
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838. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
Secondary mark on base "K310".
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959. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". Ginger jar with sticker "CPC - Made in Macau". Known to be at least c. 30 years old, probably date 1960-70's.
Secondary mark on base "067" within triangle.
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809. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
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890. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". Sticker saying porcelain from China, decoration in Macao. Bowl diameter 10"/25cm. 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
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801. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
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808. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1960-70's.
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802. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' decoration, probably 1970-80s.
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1060. Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Made". 'Macao style' mark, Possibly 1970-80s period.
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| 'Qianlong' mark, four character, double frame, 1965 or later |
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775. Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Qianlong Period, Made", 1970.
Decorated in Macao according to a sticker on the base. If you look very closely at this mark and compares it to the similar marks used in Hong Kong at this time, the characters on this mark is written in a slightly western "italic" style as compared to the Hong Kong versions, which are drawn more formal and straight up. This mark is quite unique in that the identification of it as of Macao is possibly only thanks to the remaining paper labels added to the base. The unique character of the decoration should help in finding further pieces of this kind.
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338. Qianlong Nian Zhi "Qianlong Period Made". The mark says "FARICDO EM MACAU" being a short for FABRICADO EM MACAU, mening "Made in Macao". Later part of 20th century.
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| 'Jiaqing' mark, six character, single frame, 1965 or later |
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507. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Possibly decorated in Macao c. 1960's.
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698. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Possibly decorated in Macao c. 1960's.
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594. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Possibly decorated in Macao c. 1960's.
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643. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Possibly decorated in Macao c. 1960's.
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644. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Possibly decorated in Macao c. 1960's.
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760. Mark: Da Qing Jiaqing Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Jiaqing period (1796-1820) made". Inside the neck a sticker saying, Made in Hong Kong. Tentative date c. 1960-70's. Beside that the sticker indicates Hong Kong, this marks seems to be uniquely connected to Macao.
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'Tongzhi' mark, six character, no border, 1965 or later |
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166. Da Qing Tungzhi Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Tungzhi (1862-74) Period Made". 'Macao style' enamels c. 1970 / probably mid to late 20th century. |
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765. Da Qing Tungzhi Nian Zhi - "Great Qing Tungzhi (1862-74) Period Made". 'Macao style' enamels c. 1970.
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Heng Ming Jian Zhi |
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786. Mark in Chinese Zhuanshu characters: Heng Ming Jian Zhi flanked from right to left by Ao Men meaning; Macau. The four characters in the middle meaning "Production supervised by Heng Ming" or possible "Heng Ming supervised Production" where the third character jian means "inspect", followed by zhi meaning manufactured. All read from right to left. Date: Late 20th century.
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| FANG - "IMITATING RELIC" 1975-85 |
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This way of marking Chinese porcelain by adding a Fang character (Imitating) I have discussed at length with other porcelain specialists and we have come to the conclusion that this could not have been introduced earlier then after the Chinese "Cultural Revolution" which ended in 1975. During the Cultural Revolution it would probably have not been a good thing to want to 'imitate' something old. Earlier than that it is also unlikely that something would actually have been marked as 'imitating', so these marks all in all we feel shold all date to 1975 or slightly later. After thinking further on this I have decided to move this whole section on Fang marks to the Macao section. First of all, all eamel marks to me now appears so obviously "Macao" style that I do think they do belong here. I also think that the idea of marking anything 'Fang' probably originated somewhere outside China in the first place; so Macao or possibly Hong Kong does fit the bill very well.
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108. Mark: Da Qing Guangxu Nian Zhi The encircled character is Fang = "imitating", here used as a noun, since it is circled and independent. Compare with mark #89 below where "Fang" is used as a verb.
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89. Fang Da Qing Qianlong - "Imitating Great Qing dynasty Qianlong period" |
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250. Fang Da Qing Qianlong - "Imitating Great Qing dynasty Qianlong period" |
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497. Fang Da Qing Qianlong - "Imitating Great Qing dynasty Qianlong period". Secondary mark '010' within a triangle. |
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504. Kangxi Nian Zhi Fang "Kangxi Period Made Imitating". Probably decorated in Macao, date also probably 1960's.
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728. Kangxi Nian Zhi Fang "Kangxi Period Made Imitating". Probably decorated in Macao 1960s-70s.
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1041. Kangxi Nian Zhi Fang "Kangxi Period Made Imitating". Probably decorated in Macao 1960s-70s.
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784. Kangxi Nian Zhi (Fang) - "Kangxi period made" under Fang = "Immitating" character. Probably decorated in Macao 1960s-70s.
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133. Mark: Da Qing Fang Gu - "Great Qing Imitate relic". Fang and Gu are the same word, just two ways of writing it.
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441. Fang Da Qing Qianlong Zhi - "Imitating Great Qing Qianlong Period Made". Probably c. 1980.
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| RECENT ADDITIONS |
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1107. Four character stamped mark meaning 'Macao added enamel'. Additional paper label telling "Made in Macao For Ornamental not Food Service". Likely date 1970s, when concerns about the health aspect of some glazes was raised.
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