How were charger plates used?

These large vessels originally served grand dining tables for holding joints of meat or sharing courses among guests. Over time, their impressive scale and painted designs led to them being displayed on walls or sideboards. Today, they function primarily as decorative statements rather than everyday tableware. Their robust ceramic bodies easily withstand being mounted on sturdy display brackets.

How do I date Chinese porcelain?

Dating relies on comparing stylistic motifs, potting techniques, and reign marks against known examples from dynasties such as Kangxi or Qing. Subtle variations in the shade of cobalt blue and the texture of the glaze help narrow down the period. Many pieces carry apocryphal marks paying homage to earlier emperors rather than dating from the original reign. Examining the wear on the foot rim provides further clues to an object's true age.

What is Japanese Imari?

Japanese Imari refers to porcelain manufactured in the town of Arita and exported through the port of Imari from the Edo period onward. These pieces are distinguished by a rich palette combining cobalt blue underglaze with iron red and gold overglaze. The resulting high-contrast patterns made these wares immensely popular across European courts and homes. Later nineteenth-century Meiji period examples continued these traditional decorative schemes with great technical skill.