Vintage Hand-Painted Chinese Export Plate – Rose Medallion Style, Guangcai Porcelain (China), c. 1960 🐉🌸🇨🇳

This is an exquisite vintage porcelain plate, a celebrated example of the richly decorative Rose Medallion or Famille Rose style. Meticulously hand-painted with intricate floral, fruit, and longevity motifs, this plate is a visual masterpiece.

The item is a top-quality export piece, confirmed by its complex Guangcai (Canton Enamel) decoration and its clear MADE IN CHINA mark. Its vibrant color palette and heavy gilding establish it as a strong acquisition for a collector of ornate Asian decorative arts.

2. About the Porcelain Plate 📖✍️✨

This plate is a dense, all-over decorated piece designed for a highly formal table setting. The composition centers on a deep rust-red ground embellished with fine gold-gilded scrollwork and a central medallion.

The defining feature is the eight circular cartouches that border the central field. Four of these cartouches depict vibrant fruits and birds, symbolizing fertility and abundance. The other four showcase longevity or stylized coin symbols. The entire composition is accented by delicate pink blossoms and green scrolling foliage, showcasing the meticulous detail of the artisan.

3. About the Maker: Chinese Export Guangcai ✍️🏛️

This piece is a product of the Chinese export ceramics industry, specifically the Guangcai (Canton Enamel) tradition. The mark explicitly states "HAND-PAINTED DECORATION" and includes the Chinese characters for "China Canton Enamel".

This style of decoration, characterized by its vibrant palette and dense patterning, was perfected in the port city of Canton (Guangzhou) primarily to cater to the high aesthetic demands of the Western market. The artisans expertly adapted classic Chinese motifs—such as the eight Buddhist treasures represented by the coin/symbol cartouches—into a format easily recognizable by Western buyers. This piece reflects the skill of anonymous 20th-century ceramic decorators.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This plate was produced during the mid-to-late 20th century (c. 1950s–1970s), an era of significant revival for Chinese export porcelain aimed at the global market. The aesthetic style, broadly known as Famille Rose or Rose Medallion, had been popular in the West since the 18th century, and this piece represents its highly successful post-war continuation.

The presence of the "MADE IN CHINA" mark confirms its production was geared toward international commerce. The object served as a decorative staple in Western homes, valued for its exotic aesthetic and meticulous craftsmanship, embodying a cultural exchange that spans centuries of world trade.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This plate is a compelling acquisition for a Curator of Global Decorative Arts or an Interior Designer specializing in formal settings. The ideal buyer is a collector of Chinese Export porcelain, a lover of Famille Rose/Rose Medallion patterns, or a person seeking a bold, colorful accent for a dining room.

The plate’s dense, rich decoration and pristine condition ensure it belongs in a collection that prioritizes aesthetic impact and verifiable artistic tradition. It is an excellent asset for those seeking to incorporate historic Asian motifs into a high-end interior.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This plate is valuable for its dense, intricate hand-painted artistry and its pristine preservation. The craftsmanship, particularly the precision of the Guangcai enamels and heavy gilding, is a key determinant of its quality.

The item is approximately 50 to 70 years old. While the style was popular, the sheer density of the multi-cartouche decoration elevates it above simpler factory wares. Its excellent condition and verifiable export mark secure its value as a desirable vintage collectible.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This vintage porcelain plate is in excellent, well-preserved condition.

• Structural Integrity: The plate is free of chips, cracks, or repairs.

• Artistry: The polychrome enamels are vibrant, and the hand-painting is sharp and intact.

• Gilding: The gold trim and intricate scrollwork show minimal to no wear.

• Marking: The red export stamp is clearly legible on the reverse.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Guangcai Enamel: The dense, multi-colored painting technique is known as Guangcai (Canton Enamel), which was applied over the final glaze.

• Longevity Symbols: The circular symbols on the border are stylized representations of Chinese motifs, including the Shou (Longevity) character and ancient coinage.

• Iron Red Ground: The intense rust-red color in the center ring is a traditional color known as iron red, often reserved for high-quality decorative work.

• Export Legacy: The style is an enduring example of Chinese factories catering perfectly to 19th and 20th-century Western tastes for ornate and colorful Asian porcelain.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Item Name: Canton Enamel Plate / Rose Medallion Style Plate

• Maker/Factory: Unknown Chinese Export Manufacturer

• Period: Vintage (c. 1950s–1970s)

• Medium/Material: Hand-Painted Porcelain (Guangcai Enamels) with Gold Gilt

• Decoration: Multi-Cartouche Border, Rust Red Ground, Longevity Motifs

• Origin: China (Canton/Guangzhou Export)

• Approximate Dimensions: 7.0 inches (Diameter)

• Marking Transcription (Verbatim from Base): HAND-PAINTED DECORATION / 中國廣彩 / MADE IN CHINA (Red/Orange Stamp) (The Chinese characters translate to "China Canton Enamel")