Hi Benjamin,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Famille noire ("black family") is one of the most dramatic and recognizable styles of Chinese export porcelain. It is characterized by a jet-black enamel ground decorated with brightly colored enamels—typically greens, yellows, blues, reds, and white—creating a striking contrast. While often associated with the Qing dynasty, the story behind famille noire is more nuanced than many collectors realize.

It was developed during the reign of Kangxi Emperor in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and it belongs to the broader famille verte palette, which uses translucent green enamels as the dominant color. In famille noire, artisans first applied a black enamel ground and then painted colorful decorative motifs over it.

You're correct that the mark reads "Made during the Qianlong Reign". That would date this to 1735 to 1796 if this bowl is of the period but this was most likely made in the late 19th century, with apocryphal marks, which names an earlier emperor than the one during whose reign the object was actually made. This practice was not meant to deceive, but rather characteristic of a long Chinese tradition of honoring the past.

Bowls of similar size and decoration have been selling at auction recently for between $300 and $600. Note that this is a fair-market (secondary market) value that will be lower than primary market (retail) prices listed by private sellers or brick and mortar retailers.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

An antique Chinese Famille Noir & Rose pattern lobed footed bowl
with iron red Qianlong mark (probably apocryphal), 19th Century
Of square section with rounded sides and lobed corners, featuring reserved vignettes depicting courtly figures/scholars in a garden setting, a yellow-ground floral rim, and fruit/flower spray inside, marked below the short squared foot
Height: 3 inches; width: 8 inches; depth: 8 inches
CONDITION: This appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$300-600*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia