Zhang yi probably signifies the name of a company tai.
Chinese porcelain marks.
Marks of earlier periods have been used throughout almost the history of chinese porcelain.
In straits chinese porcelain zhen yi tai is a common mark.
The origin of reign marks.
The writing of.
It is said that the only rule that is really certain when it comes to chinese reign marks is that most of them are not from the period they say.
Marks on later chinese porcelain.
If carefully studied they offer a great help in identifying the date and maker of most chinese porcelain.
Reign marks were in common usage at the beginning of the ming dynasty 1368 1644 and.
To read a reign mark it is important to understand how they are written.
On later qianlong copies the seal mark in red enamel is something of a favorite.
Seal marks from the period can also be written in a cartouche or with the seal broken up and on the base of stem cups written in a horizontal row from right to left.
A number of old businesses in san francisco chinatown have this same tai character as the last one in a three character name for example jiu jong tai fa ming tai guang xing tai etc.
Still the marks are something of a fingerprint of the potter and its time.