Porcelain Soup Spoons Appraisal

Set of Six Chinese Porcelain Soup Spoons with Qianlong Mark

This is a set of six Chinese soup spoons crafted from fine, vitreous porcelain featuring an off-white or cream-colored glaze. Each spoon exhibits the classic 'duck' or flat-bottomed shape typical of East Asian dinnerware. The underside of each spoon is prominently decorated with a six-character apocryphal reign mark written in iron-red overglaze enamel: 'Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi' (Great Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period Make). While the marks reference the 18th century, the calligraphy style and presence of dark kiln-firing spur marks (the five distinct brown dots on the base) suggest these are likely mid-to-late 20th-century reproductions or export ware. The glaze shows a slightly uneven texture and minor pitting, common in mass-produced ceramics. Despite their likely modern origin, the craftsmanship is consistent across the set, maintaining a uniform weight and gloss. The condition appears to be good with no visible chips, though some light fading of the red enamel and minor surface scuffing from stacking is present. The uniform spur marks are a diagnostic feature of the firing process used to prevent the glaze from fusing to the kiln shelf.