Chinese Blue and White Cow on Bridge with Dragon Border Plate, 4-character Kangxi mark, late Qing c. 1890

Underglaze blue and white Chinese plate depicting a man leading a cow over a bridge with a dragon chasing pearl border. On the underside are three bats and a four-character Kangxi mark.

A small nibble to the rim and kiln marks to the foot.

Aside from kiln imperfections, the age is determined by the poorly refined cobalt which is pushed by the brush to the outer edges or end of the stroke. This ‘hollow line’, as seen under a magnifying glass, is characteristic of Chinese underglaze blue porcelains from around 1850 to 1940. Apocryphal Kangxi reign marks began appearing in the reign of Guangxu (1875-1908).