Jade tea cup

[je177]

I was wondering if anyone might be able to tell me what time period this tea cup may be from. I have a set of two. They have been in my family for quite some time. I have been told that they are made of Jade. The animal is a Qilin I believe. The cup measures approx. 3.5 inches high. Any info would be great. Thanks in advance.

Jim

 

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[ivan salis]

that is a very cool item -- llet me guess gotten during WW2 or in the very early 1900's by old relatives visiting china?

 

[je177]

I don't know exactly where they came from. No way for me to find out. I figured I would try to have them id'd here. Any Info you have would be great.

 

[IronSpike]

That's a very nice jade cup Are there any makers markings?

It's a tribute to the Ming dynasty, however I think a date will be hard to establish without an exact match or ID on the maker.

Found a couple that are close but no match:

http://www.guimet.fr/-China-

http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/32Arts747.html

 

[ivan salis]

many chinese historic antiques (like yours) were gathered up by us forces during WW2 in china or by visting wealthy americans in the late 1800's early 1900 era

many of these items can be very valuible --thats why I asked how it came to be in "the family" -- to be sure it was not a modern fake or "repoduction" work.

if gathered in WW2 or from around the late 1800's / early 1900 era --it might very a serious antique * however if recently aquired --however it might be a "copy" or fake antique --as the chinese have gotten in to faking antiques as of late to sell to gullible people .

 

[je177]

There are no makers marks that I can see. The cups belonged to my parents. It is possible that my father got them while traveling in the navy. It's also possible that he aquired them while living in the phillipines. He was born there in the 30's. They have been in storage at least since I was born (1977). My parents would talk about the cups now and then but they were in storage. I never asked anything about them. Thanks for your help.

 

[ivan salis]

humm the phillipines --- then its very possible then its japanese WW2 era booty type item brought in from china to the phillipines by japanese forces. (if it came from there) --- if your dad was in the military (navy) --he might have also gotten it in some taiwanese "antique" shop in say the 50's -- many mainland chinese fled there at the end of WW2 when the chinese civil war took mainland china into communist control.--or in maybe in a "british" hong kong "antique" shop as well.

antiques stores often sold "antiques" -- over the years many people fleeing china to hong kong and tiawan often arrived with very little -- they often had such "treasured items" with them and would sell them to get money to survive upon to get started over again with. --- these items often were sold by "antique" brokers to westerners. --- sometimes they used the real ones to make copies from for sale.

 

[je177]

That's great info. Thanks! I'm going to the brimfield ma antiques fair tomorrow. I thinks it the biggest antique fair in the country......100 acres and it lasts a week. Someone there might be able to help with the mystery. Keep the info coming!!! This is more than I've gotten in 4 hours research on the Internet.

 

[jimbob450]

Beautiful cup. What is a Qilin? Jimbob

 

[je177]

It's a mythical Chinese animal. There are different variations of it. One of them is a scaled dragon with hooves, horns and lion tail. The Japanese version is called a Kirin.

 

[je177]

Went to an antique fair yesterday. No luck findind anything like it. The dealers couldn't really pinpoint the info I was looking for. I've emailed several online dealers. I'm waiting on their response. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ivan salis]

oh btw there are "land" and "sea" types of the mythical beast you speak of -- yours looks like it might have a sea tail on it.