An apocryphal mark is a mark on an object, most often porcelain, that falsely claims an earlier date, origin or maker than the true one. The term is most commonly used for Chinese reign marks that name an earlier emperor, but it also applies to imitations of famous European factory marks.
In Chinese ceramics, applying the reign mark of an earlier, admired period was a long-established practice and was often intended as a mark of respect or quality rather than deception. Kangxi-period potters, for example, sometimes used the marks of Ming emperors, and many nineteenth- and twentieth-century pieces bear Kangxi or Qianlong marks. In Europe, the crossed swords of Meissen, the interlaced Ls of Sèvres and the marks of other leading factories were widely copied by other makers to capitalise on their reputation. Because of this, a mark alone should never be taken as proof of date or origin. Collectors assess the potting, glaze, decoration, foot rim, body and wear, and compare the style of calligraphy with genuine marks of the period. Apocryphally marked pieces can still be attractive and valuable in their own right, provided they are correctly identified.
