“From early times, marks/inscriptions occur on various types of Chinese ceramics, revealing manufacturing date, names of kilns or potters. In 1957, Madame Gaisy Lion Goldschmid published in Paris the book entitled Les potteries et Porcelaines Chinoise, attached with several appendices with Ming and Qing inscriptions in the seal and regular scripts. In 1971, that book was translated into Vietnamese and published in Saigon by Mr. Vuong Hong Sen (1902 - 1996) - a Vietnamese noted antique expert. In 1994, the author Gerald Davidson published in London The handbook of Marks on Chinese Ceramics, introducing a total of 1799 marks classified in 17 types according to numbers of characters. Of these, most interesting are the reign marks consisting of 4 or 6 characters. Was that ceramics bearing these marks produced exclusively for Chinese courts?
Near 20 years now, that kind of porcelain has been also remarkably mentioned in several books issues by the Antique Identification Associations and Museums in Beijing, Shanghai, Hongkong and Taiwan. At present, in the Hanoi holds also two collections of Chinese ceramics with the Chinese Imperial Marks, one is of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and other is of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). They include the artifacts collected by French & Vietnam scholars from the early 20th century up to recent years. Especially, the later collection has been added considerably by the items from two shipwrecks Hon Cau (Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province) and Ca Mau Province, that are dated to 1690 and the period 1723 - 1735 respectively.
Mrs. Tuyet Nguyet - the Chief Editor of the Arts of Asia Magazine, an authoritative magazine for antique lovers throughout the World, during a working visit to the Museum was very surprised by these valuable collections. She has encouraged the Museum to study them intensively and soon to make them public.
In this connection, this book is issued to introduce first the Qing collection with a total of 186 specimens belonging to the blue and white, polychrome and monochrome types.” (From an Introduction of the book)
Contents:Abbreviations. Chronology of Qing Dynasty & reign periods. Introduction. Chapters: 1- Blue & white ceramics. 2 - Polychrome ceramics. 3 - Monochrome ceramics. Bibliography. Plates. List of objects. Imperial marks on the Qing Dynasty's ceramics.