Preliminary identification
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a lovely Chinese cloisonné enamel bowl featuring dense green botanical and chrysanthemum motifs on a brass body with a scalloped rim. It sits on a carved wooden display stand and retains its original blue counter-enamel base with export and vintage AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) retail stickers.
Story
Sold through an overseas military exchange around the 1980s for $25.50, this bowl carried centuries of imperial metalwork technique straight into an American living room.
Maker / Origin
Produced by state-run handicraft workshops in China during the post-Cultural Revolution export boom, these wares were crafted by artisans revitalizing traditional decorative arts for international department stores and military exchanges.
Condition & Value
Appears in very good vintage condition with intact enamels, clear wirework, intact carved wooden base, and original export paper labels on the underside. Clean condition without visible enamel losses preserves its full decorative value.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.