Goose-shaped tureen’s mark meant to deceive the unwary
Q: I recently acquired this large tureen in the shape of a goose. I believe it is a piece of armorial porcelain marked with the seal of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong. My question is whether or not you have a seen a representation of the great seal of the United States with the eagle facing away from the olive branches?
A: We are both more than a bit surprised that this inquiry is centered around
COURTESY
the placement of the eagle on this goose-shaped tureen. Unfortunately, this a minor side issue when it comes to a discussion about this particular object.
Several other significant issues might include: How old is this piece? Was it really made in the midto late 18th century? Is the seal mark authentic? Was it actually made in China?
On its face, this is supposed to be a piece of Chinese porcelain designed to be exported to the West — specifically, to the United States — and made during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796). Interestingly, the great seal of the U.S. with of its depiction of an eagle with spread wings and its talon clutching an olive branch in one and a sheath of arrows in the other was not adopted until 1782.
It is thought that the first tureen appeared in France during the reign of the French King Louis XVI (1638-1715). Originally, it was a large, round lidded serving dish used to serve the first course at dinner.
Over time, the simple round earthenware serving dishes became more elaborate in design and shape and many were made from porcelain or silver.
Unfortunately, the mark is misleading and this tureen was not made in China or manufactured during Qianlong’s reign. It is in the style of Chinese export wares but was made elsewhere and at a much later date. Most commonly, these goose tureens were made in Italy, but we cannot rule out an origin in Japan.
These goose-shaped tureens turn up for sale on occasion, and everyone we have seen has a different scheme, but they all tend to be very attractive and appealing to the eye. We can imagine their turning up in giftware catalogs of specialty shops featuring tableware and settings. But the bottom line is they were meant to deceive the unwary. When we see these goose tureens being offered for sale online, they are in $70 range. We suspect they are being offered at $125 or so at retail.