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Chinese ‘Clobbered’ Porcelain Decorated in Europe


Clobbered porcelain or porcelain with later polychrome overglaze decoration done in Europe is a fascinating sub-category of antique Chinese export porcelain. What started as a simple addition of gilt borders, spouts or handles later evolved into more elaborate patterns such as Dutch decorated ‘Amsterdam bont’ porcelain imitating Imari palette, and even more colourful English pieces – with bright green, yellow or purple enamels – produced in the early 19th century. Reason for over-decorating plain blue and white porcelain with these colourful enamels was to make them more desirable and often also to conceal small imperfections or damage. Opinions of collectors on clobber ware are greatly divided as European decoration is often ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks the elegance of original Chinese patterns. We think that this group should not be overlooked because it is an important part of our material culture and pieces themselves are very often completely unique one-of-a-kind examples, making them highly collectable.

Below is a selection of some of the great pieces of Chinese clobber ware that we’ve handled in the past.

Early 18th century Chinese ‘Amsterdams Bont’ clobbered Kangxi an hua porcelain dish – this type of Chinese porcelain decorated in the Netherlands was a response to great popularity of Imari porcelain during the 18th century. Simple blue and white porcelain could have been bought for low prices, decorated with overglaze enamels similar to those of imari porcelain and then sold for a much higher price. Decoration sometimes featured scenes with European figures and architecture.
Rare early 18th century Chinese Kangxi period export porcelain dish, decorated shortly after in Holland in the manner of Japanese Kakiemon porcelain. Pattern depicts a pair of figures in the garden, listening to a singing nightingale perched on top of a bird cage.

For reference see collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, object 1995.268.140
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blanc de Chine Porcelain Dignitary Figure. 17th century
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blanc de Chine Porcelain Dignitary Figure. 17th-18th century. Similar, undecorated example is recorded in the 1688 Burghley House collection inventory.
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blanc De Chine Buddhist Lion Joss Stick Holder. Dehua, Kangxi Period (1662-1722)
Antique Chinese clobbered Blanc de Chine Buddhist lion joss stick holder, Kangxi Period (1662-1722) – overglaze decoration was in this case used to conceal damage (missing parts of the joss stick holder and tail of the lion).
Antique Chinese Kangxi Period Clobbered Blanc de Chine Dehua Porcelain Foo Lion
Another late 17th or early 18th century Blanc de Chine joss stick holder in the form of a Buddhist lion with a different type of clobbered overglaze decoration.
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Export Porcelain Dish With Dragons and Floral Sprays
Antique Chinese clobbered blue and white export porcelain dish with dragons and floral sprays – this type of dragons with white faces is generally thought to indicate pieces decorated in London.
Large Clobbered Chinese Export Porcelain Punch Bowl Decorated With Dragons and Butterflies. Diameter 31 cm
Large clobberware Chinese export porcelain punch bowl decorated with dragons and butterflies, diameter 31 cm – another characteristic of pieces decorated in England is bright lime green enamel used for backgrounds and borders.
Large Clobbered Chinese Export Porcelain Punch Bowl Decorated With Dragons and Butterflies. Diameter 31 cm
Fully clobbered interior of the bowl above
Antique Chinese Qianlong Period Clobbered Export Porcelain Dish With Dragons and Butterflies. 18th century
Clobbered Chinese Qianlong period Fitzhugh type export porcelain dish, 18th century – this one is interesting as it features different type of dragons reminiscent of those found of works by Miles and C. J. Mason.
Clobbered Antique Chinese Blue and White Long Eliza Vase With Kangxi Conch Shell Mark
Clobbered 18th century blue and white ‘Long Eliza’ vase with Kangxi conch shell mark – this vase had some damage at the top and was cut down. Clobbering was then used to conceal this alteration and to further embellish it in order to make it more saleable.
Clobbered Antique Chinese Kangxi Period Long Eliza Blue and White Porcelain Vase
Another Kangxi period blue and white porcelain vase with later European overglaze decoration. Painted with moulded lappets enclosing ‘Long Elizas’ and floral jardinieres on stands. Marked with underglaze blue ‘Yu’ mark with later iron red pseudo-Chinese mark painted over it (below).
Clobbered Antique Chinese Kangxi Period Long Eliza Blue and White Porcelain Vase
Many pieces of Chinese porcelain were clobbered in order to conceal small glaze imperfections or damage. Notice prominent fritting on this 18th century export dish.
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Export Porcelain Plate. 18th-19th century
Unusual Chinese blue and white export porcelain dish with later European polychrome decoration featuring a profusion of floral sprays framed by a simple diaper border.
More examples of 18th century porcelain decorated in England with typical dragons and stippled lime green background.
This one also features panels with bright yellow and stippled blue-green background.
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Export Porcelain Dish With Chickens. 18th century
Antique Chinese clobbered blue and white export porcelain dish with chickens. 18th century
Antique Chinese Clobbered Famille Rose Porcelain Dish With Dragons. 18th-19th century
This one is even more unique as the original Chinese dish is decorated in overglaze Famille rose enamels rather than usual underglaze blue.
What’s unusual about this example is that it doesn’t seem to have any original Chinese decoration (apart from the turquoise outer border perhaps?).
Clobbered Qing dynasty blue and white porcelain dragon tea bowl with original underglaze blue square shop mark.
Some pieces of clobber ware – such as this 18th century tea bowl – were marked with nonsensical pseudo-Chinese iron red marks. You can find more examples of these on our Chinese porcelain marks identification page HERE.
Another 18th century Chinese clobbered tea bowl, this time with both original underglaze blue maker’s mark and later pseudo-Chinese iron red mark.
Blue and white porcelain saucer decorated with lotus scrolls and with later European polychrome overglaze decoration with a lime green background. Base marked with typical rectangular iron red pseudo-Chinese mark.
Blue and white porcelain saucers featuring central medallions with a bird perched on a rock, surrounded by various flowers all around. Polychrome overglaze decoration added later in Europe. Bases marked with typical rectangular iron red pseudo-Chinese marks.
Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Porcelain Jar. Qing Dynasty, 19th Century
Fabulous Chinese clobbered blue and white jar featuring colourful mountainous landscape scene with a large bird, flowers, huts and a fisherman. Not marked.
Rare Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Jar. 19th Century, Qing Dynasty
Chinese ‘clobbered’ blue and white jar with later European overglaze decoration featuring colourful dragons, butterflies and flowers painted very much in the manner of C. J. Mason. Not marked.
Another similar blue and white decorated jar with typical landscape scene with a fisherman and unusual later European ‘clobbered’ decoration featuring flowers, birds, turtle and a crab.
Rare antique Chinese blue and white porcelain pot with later European polychrome overglaze decoration and ormolu mounts. Base marked with typical iron red pseudo-Chinese mark.

We will keep updating this page as we come across additional unique clobbered pieces of Chinese porcelain.
Last updated: May 2025

December 2022 Update – New Asian art resources and eBay items


We’ve added several new resources to our database this month, including a guide to archaic Chinese bronze forms, reference page with Japanese marks on non-ceramic objects and a simple guide to identification of Ming and early Qing dynasty cloisonné. We’ve also created a separate page for enquiries regarding identification of Asian art and unknown signatures. Browse our selection of newly listed exclusive eBay items and our last auction of the year featuring a rare Chinese carved tixi lacquer box and cover. For more details and to bid, see the full list below.

Thank you so much for all your support in 2022 and wishing you a Happy New Year 2023!

Visit Asian Art Curator to bid on latest eBay auctions closing this week. Featured auctions are being added throughout the week so make sure to stay up to date! Our Resource Hub features a complete list of our free Asian art resources.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly product updates via e-mail. Easiest way to get all the latest updates is to follow our instagram and facebook pages.

Newly added resource pages
Chinese archaic bronze forms and their names
Chinese Archaic Bronze Forms

Other Japanese Marks and Signatures
Other Japanese Marks and Signatures
Identification and dating of antique Chinese cloisonné
How to Date Antique Chinese Cloisonné – Ming and Early Qing Dynasty
Identification of Asian art. Translation of Chinese and Japanese porcelain marks
Identification of Asian Art. Translation of Chinese and Japanese Porcelain Marks
New exclusive eBay auctions and Buy It Now items
Antique Chinese Carved Tixi Lacquer Circular Box and Cover. Guri Ware


AUCTION – Antique Chinese Carved Tixi Lacquer Circular Box and Cover. Guri Ware

Very rare antique Chinese tixi black and cinnabar lacquer box with domed lid. Carved all around in low relief with rows of ruyi shaped scrolls radiating outward from a four-pointed central motif.

Diameter: 18 cm
Height: 9 cm

Auction closing 4 January, 2023

Fine Antique Japanese Sharkskin Glazed Fluted Porcelain Bowl by Takeuchi Chubei


Fine Antique Japanese Sharkskin Glazed Fluted Porcelain Bowl by Takeuchi Chubei

Very beautiful blue-ground porcelain bowl by Meiji artist Takeuchi Chubei, decorated in unusual textured ‘sharkskin’ glaze (鮫肌釉). Depicting a scene with birds, wasps and flowers. Base inscribed with characteristic patent number in iron red overglaze enamel.

Dimensions: 17.5×17.5 cm


Antique Japanese Relief Carved Oval Wooden Tray With Lotus and Articulated Seeds


Antique Japanese Relief Carved Oval Wooden Tray With Lotus and Articulated Seeds

Gorgeous antique Japanese wooden tray carved in low relief and depicting lotus leaves and a pod with articulated seeds inside. Great decorative piece!

Dimensions: 30×25 cm / 12×10 inches


Fine Antique Japanese Cloisonne Enamelled Vase. Meiji period


Fine Antique Japanese Cloisonne Enamelled Vase. Meiji period

Fine Japanese black-ground cloisonné vase decorated with a myriad of colourful floral and geometric cartouches.

Height: 21 cm



Antique Chinese Carved Bamboo Incense Holder Censer Burner. 19th c. Qing Dynasty

Beautifully carved Chinese bamboo incense stick holder depicting a congregation of scholars under a large pine tree, some playing Go and others in conversation. They are surrounded by impressive rocky outcrops. We have another very similar one listed with carved Tongzhi reign mark (1861-1875). 

Height: 28 cm


Fine Antique Japanese Kutani Porcelain Vase With Uta-garuta Yomifuda Poem Cards


Fine Antique Japanese Kutani Porcelain Vase With Uta-garuta Yomifuda Poem Cards

Truly unique and finely painted antique Japanese Kutani porcelain vase with elephant head handles. Depicting traditional Japanese Uta-garuta yomifuda cards with poems written in tiny calligraphic script. Marked with impressed Kutani mark under the glaze as well as with iron red overglaze mark that reads 大日本九谷 清綠社画 (?)

Height: 21 cm


Large Antique Japanese Arita Porcelain Vase With Scholars in Bamboo Grove


Large Antique Japanese Arita Porcelain Vase With Scholars in Bamboo Grove

Beautifully painted antique Japanese Arita porcelain vase depicting a continuous scene with scholars and their attendants in a bamboo grove. Scene is set against an unusual matt brown background. Nice example with great expressive faces of the figures depicted. Unmarked.

Height: 30.5 cm / 12 inches



Antique Chinese Imari Porcelain Tea Bowl Cup And Saucer With Butterflies. 18th century

Lovely 18th century Chinese export porcelain tea bowl and saucer decorated in imari palette. Featuring various types of butterflies flying amongst floral sprays.

Dimensions
Saucer – diameter 11.7 cm
Tea bowl – diameter 7.5 cm



Antique Chinese Clobbered Blue and White Porcelain Dragon Tea Bowl. Qing Dynasty

Cute antique Chinese blue and white export porcelain tea bowl with underglaze blue decoration featuring dragon coiling around the outside of the cup and over the rim with upper half of his body inside the cup. Embellished or ‘clobbered’ all around with colourful overglaze enamels done in Europe. Square underglaze blue shop mark within a circle underneath.

Diameter: 7 cm
Height: 3.5

Fine Antique Japanese Miniature Satsuma Pottery Vase. Unmarked.


Fine Antique Japanese Miniature Satsuma Pottery Vase. Unmarked.

Tiny antique Japanese Kyoto Satsuma vase with twin handles. Painted with figural scenes on either side and with heavily gilded geometric borders and diapers all around. Very fine example given its size. Unmarked, apart from a single iron red line to the base.

Height: 9 cm



Antique Chinese Dream Stone Round Shih-Hua With Inscription

Very pretty antique Chinese dream stone with inscription. Semi-translucent, creating beautiful subtle effect with light shining from behind. Originally would have been mounted in a wooden frame.

Diameter: 16.5 cm


November 2022 Update – New eBay Auctions and Buy It Now Items


Latest selection of newly listed auctions and exclusive items in our eBay shop. Up for sale this week is a gorgeous Japanese Kachō-ga style satsuma bowl by Taizan Yohei. For more details and to bid, see the full list below.

Visit Asian Art Curator to bid on latest eBay auctions closing this week. Featured auctions are being added throughout the week so make sure to stay up to date!

Our Resource Hub features a complete list of free resources for dealers and collectors of Asian art available on this website.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly product updates via e-mail.
Easiest way to get all the latest updates is to follow our instagram and facebook pages.


AUCTION – Fine Antique Japanese Satsuma Pottery Bowl by Taizan Yohei 帯山与兵衛 Meiji Period

Absolutely gorgeous Japanese Satsuma bowl by Taizan Yohei featuring pair of sparrows flying amongst prunus blossom and set against beautiful blue background. Marked 大日本 帯山製 (Great Japan, Made by Taizan) in black enamel underneath. In very good antique condition without any damage. Some typical surface wear to enamels and minor discolouration underneath as per photographs. Diameter: 24.2 cm

Diameter: 24.2 cm

Auction closing 5 December, 2022


Antique Japanese Kyoto Satsuma Pottery Awabi Abalone Shell Form Dish 25 cm / 10″

Gorgeous Japanese Kyoto satsuma serving dish in the form of a large abalone shell with additional relief-moulded and applied smaller shells on its surface. Decorated in colourful overglaze enamels with flowers and butterflies. Unsigned but stylistically similar to some examples by the studio Kinkozan.

Dimensions: 25×15.5 cm



Antique or Vintage Chinese Black Lacquered Mother of Pearl Inlay Display Stand

Stunning large black lacquered wooden stand of quatrefoil form with intricate mother of pearl inlaid geometric decoration all around. Standing on openwork carved base with additional quatrefoil cartouches.

Dimensions: 21×14.5×7.5 cm



LARGE Antique Japanese Nagasaki Lacquer Shell Inlay Black Lacquered Box. Meiji

Stunning antique Japanese Nagasaki black lacquered wooden box with reverse painted shell inlay decoration featuring rooster and hen under a blossoming tree. Nice large antique storage box and a beautiful decorative item.

Dimensions: 39.5x29x11.5 cm



Antique Japanese Satsuma Pottery Bowl With Shaped Rim. Nikkozan 日光山 Early 20th c

Nicely shaped Satsuma pottery bowl featuring landscape scene with a multitude of flowers and a pair of pheasants, one perched on a rock and other below by the stream. Exterior decorated with wisterias. Marked ‘Nikkozan’ 日光山 underneath.

Diameter: 12.5 cm
Height: 5 cm



Antique Indian Hindu Miniature Copper Alloy Bronze Figure of Bala Krishna 18th century

Antique Indian miniature bronze / copper alloy figure depicting Hindu deity Bala Krishna as a butter thief. Lovely patina with significant ritual wear. Difficult to date but possibly an 18th century example.

Height: 4.5 cm



Fine Antique Japanese Kutani Porcelain Teapot and Sugar Bowl. Early 20th century

Really finely painted antique Japanese teapot and sugar bowl depicting unusual atmospheric scenes with birds flying in the forest. With flower finials and gold accents on the handles, spout and around the rims. Very rare examples of this type. Each marked to the base with iron red mark.

Height: teapot 19 cm, sugar bowl 14 cm



Vintage Japanese Ando Cloisonné Enamelled Velvet Lined Ginbari Round Covered Box

Absolutely gorgeous Japanese Ando studio ginbari cloisonné box and cover with red velvet lining. Decorated with a profusion of colourful flowers and leaves on a white ground. Red ‘Ando cloisonné’ sticker underneath.

Diameter: 8.5 cm



Pair of Antique Japanese Fukagawa Koransha Imari Porcelain Octagonal Plates

Lovely pair of antique Japanese Fukagawa Koransha octagonal plates depicting figure riding a fish in the central medallion, surrounded by radiating panels featuring cartouches with floral sprays painted in underglaze blue and overglaze red, green and gold enamels. Framed by underglaze blue diaper border and gold cash symbols. Each marked with underglaze blue orchid mark underneath.

Diameter: 22.5 cm


LARGE Antique Japanese Kutani Porcelain Charger by Taniguchi 谷口 Diameter 34 cm

Fine Japanese Kutani Porcelain Jar With Shi Shi, Dragon and Ho-o Birds. Meiji period
Antique or Vintage Chinese Red Lacquered Miniature Cabinet. 51 cm / 20″ tall
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Identification of Asian Antiques. Translation of Chinese and Japanese Porcelain Marks