Prices for Antiques

Ceramics Marked Hand-Painted

Caution should be exercised in evaluating ceramics marked "hand-painted". A standard nineteenth century practice, and on in to the twentieth century, was to decorate china and other porcelains with transfers, adding a few minor brushstrokes and marking the piece "hand-painted" thus gaining prestige and premium prices. Genuinely hand-painted porcelains are seldom marked as such. Their hand-painted decoration is apparent from brush-strokes, the irregular borders of decorative elements and use of a wide variety of colors, hues and shading.