The Tradition · Qing Dynasty · Xuantong
1909 – 1912
The last emperor. The last reign mark. The tradition ends.
Historical Context
The Xuantong reign — just three years — marks the formal close of imperial porcelain production at Jingdezhen. The kilns continued operating, but the organisational and patronage structures that had shaped production since the early Ming were dissolving. What emerged after 1912 was a different kind of industry.
Xuantong wares are rare and historically significant. The reign mark is genuine documentation of the dynasty's final moment. For Blue Fir, these objects are valued as terminal points — the last objects produced within the system this tradition traces.
Material Development
Famille rose continued — established Guangxu typologies carried forward
Blue-and-white maintained — quality variable as institutional structures weakened
Reign marks applied — Xuantong mark a reliable terminal date marker
Production volume low — political instability curtailed large imperial commissions
View material notes →Representative Forms
粉彩瓶
Bottle & Vase Form
青花磗
Bowls & Serving Form
小盘
Dishes & Plates Form
Selected Works
Period Position
Xuantong closes the tradition. For Blue Fir, it is the final documentary marker — the last reign in an unbroken sequence stretching back to Hongwu. Objects bearing the Xuantong mark are rare, historically precise, and carry the weight of an ending.