{"id":8649335832726,"title":"19th century Chinese Export silver jug with pseudo English hallmarks","handle":"19-th-century-chinese-export-silver-jug-with-erroneous-english-hallmarks","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rare and impressive early 19th century Chinese Export silver jug with pseudo English\u003cbr\u003ehallmarks.\u003cbr\u003eThis impressive jug of a fine gauge is a wonderful example of the ability of Chinese\u003cbr\u003esilversmiths to copy western models for export, either to Europe or the local colonial centres\u003cbr\u003ethat were developing in the orient.\u003cbr\u003eHistorically, China had been happy to export renewable or inexhaustible luxury goods mainly\u003cbr\u003eceramics and silks. Silver was more valuable in China than in Europe and therefore\u003cbr\u003epayments in silver were advantageous to the Chinese government. This changed during the\u003cbr\u003elatter part of the 18th century and the export of finished silver objects to the West became\u003cbr\u003efinancially attractive.\u003cbr\u003eFrom the end of the 18th century the export trade increased tremendously and the demand\u003cbr\u003efrom Europe for familiar utilitarian forms increased. European forms such as mugs, ewers,\u003cbr\u003etazza, and candlesticks were unknown in China, so models were sent to China.\u003cbr\u003eThe silversmiths were therefore copying original items chiefly from England and America.\u003cbr\u003eCommon items were tea and coffee sets, spoons, forks, trays and other flatware. Having no\u003cbr\u003eprior history of making such items, they copied as exactly as possible and, in the process,\u003cbr\u003eand not realising their significance, the hallmarks were also copied.\u003cbr\u003eThis jug is of a typical late Georgian form, the copied hallmarks are for London and copy the\u003cbr\u003eform in use from 1786 to 1821 with a crowned Leopard head and the monarchs face in an\u003cbr\u003eoval. Sadly, there isn’t a date letter but there is an attempt at a maker’s mark. While not\u003cbr\u003ecopied to intentionally deceive, these marks would be easily mistaken for genuine marks.\u003cbr\u003eAs the silversmiths were copying items as up to date as possible to stay in fashion and\u003cbr\u003etherefore find a ready market, the copying of the marks is a valuable indicator of the possible\u003cbr\u003edate of manufacture. Given its form and the marks we can estimate the jug dates to the\u003cbr\u003e1820’s at the latest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLength: 24.5 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight: 22 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal Weight: 1261 grams \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2026-04-28T14:17:53+01:00","created_at":"2026-04-28T14:17:52+01:00","vendor":"Joseph Cohen Antiques","type":"","tags":["Chinese Export Silver"],"price":475000,"price_min":475000,"price_max":475000,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":46364499869846,"title":"Default Title","option1":"Default Title","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"JC-07215","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"19th century Chinese Export silver jug with pseudo English hallmarks","public_title":null,"options":["Default Title"],"price":475000,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[],"quantity_rule":{"min":1,"max":null,"increment":1}}],"images":["\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug1.jpg?v=1777381519","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug2.jpg?v=1777381697","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug3.jpg?v=1777381697","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug4.jpg?v=1777381697"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug1.jpg?v=1777381519","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":32620550914198,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.976,"height":638,"width":623,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug1.jpg?v=1777381519"},"aspect_ratio":0.976,"height":638,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug1.jpg?v=1777381519","width":623},{"alt":null,"id":32620558286998,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.972,"height":643,"width":625,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug2.jpg?v=1777381697"},"aspect_ratio":0.972,"height":643,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug2.jpg?v=1777381697","width":625},{"alt":null,"id":32620558221462,"position":3,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.948,"height":640,"width":607,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug3.jpg?v=1777381697"},"aspect_ratio":0.948,"height":640,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug3.jpg?v=1777381697","width":607},{"alt":null,"id":32620558319766,"position":4,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.998,"height":650,"width":649,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug4.jpg?v=1777381697"},"aspect_ratio":0.998,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/Jug4.jpg?v=1777381697","width":649}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eA rare and impressive early 19th century Chinese Export silver jug with pseudo English\u003cbr\u003ehallmarks.\u003cbr\u003eThis impressive jug of a fine gauge is a wonderful example of the ability of Chinese\u003cbr\u003esilversmiths to copy western models for export, either to Europe or the local colonial centres\u003cbr\u003ethat were developing in the orient.\u003cbr\u003eHistorically, China had been happy to export renewable or inexhaustible luxury goods mainly\u003cbr\u003eceramics and silks. Silver was more valuable in China than in Europe and therefore\u003cbr\u003epayments in silver were advantageous to the Chinese government. This changed during the\u003cbr\u003elatter part of the 18th century and the export of finished silver objects to the West became\u003cbr\u003efinancially attractive.\u003cbr\u003eFrom the end of the 18th century the export trade increased tremendously and the demand\u003cbr\u003efrom Europe for familiar utilitarian forms increased. European forms such as mugs, ewers,\u003cbr\u003etazza, and candlesticks were unknown in China, so models were sent to China.\u003cbr\u003eThe silversmiths were therefore copying original items chiefly from England and America.\u003cbr\u003eCommon items were tea and coffee sets, spoons, forks, trays and other flatware. Having no\u003cbr\u003eprior history of making such items, they copied as exactly as possible and, in the process,\u003cbr\u003eand not realising their significance, the hallmarks were also copied.\u003cbr\u003eThis jug is of a typical late Georgian form, the copied hallmarks are for London and copy the\u003cbr\u003eform in use from 1786 to 1821 with a crowned Leopard head and the monarchs face in an\u003cbr\u003eoval. Sadly, there isn’t a date letter but there is an attempt at a maker’s mark. While not\u003cbr\u003ecopied to intentionally deceive, these marks would be easily mistaken for genuine marks.\u003cbr\u003eAs the silversmiths were copying items as up to date as possible to stay in fashion and\u003cbr\u003etherefore find a ready market, the copying of the marks is a valuable indicator of the possible\u003cbr\u003edate of manufacture. Given its form and the marks we can estimate the jug dates to the\u003cbr\u003e1820’s at the latest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLength: 24.5 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight: 22 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal Weight: 1261 grams \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}