In the declining years of the Qing dynasty, as the imperial collection of porcelain was gradually broken up and dispersed, trading in antiques developed. To satisfy demand and increase revenues, some antique dealers began manufacturing reproductions themselves. In the main they copied the porcelain made by the imperial kilns during the reigns of emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, such as blue-and-white porcelain; five-colored, tricolor-glazed and kidney-bean red porcelain; and porcelain decorated in the peacock green and eggplant purple first developed in the reign of Emperor Kangxi; they also made replicas of the porcelain decorated in blue and white, pastels, doucai and sacrificial red produced in the reign of Emperor Qianlong. In addition, there were reproductions of the Junyao kiln ware of the Yuan dynasty, of blue-and-white bowls from the reign of Ming Emperor Hongwu, and of blue-and-white cups from the reign of Ming Emperor Yongle. Among these, the most distinctive reproductions were of the larger wares.

The trade in antiques continued to flourish in the republican period. It comprised not only reproductions of porcelain from the distant past but also that of later vintages, ranging from such prized wares as celadon from the Six Dynasties period to imperial porcelain from the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the late Qing dynasty. Some of the best replicas were celadon imitating that produced in the Longquan kiln in the Song dynasty; blue-and-white porcelain imitating that of the reign of Emperor Xuande in the Ming dynasty; and a variety of wares decorated in cloisonn, as well as a rich palette of glazes including rouge red, Langyao kiln red, kidney-bean red, light greenish blue, all of which were copies of the most distinctive ceramics produced in the reigns of emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong.

Bowl, Jun ware, Yuan dynasty

Large circle dish, Jun ware in Yuan dynasty

Blue glazed washing club bottle with antiquity design in golden tracery, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Vault-of-Heaven vase with design of nine peaches in soft colors, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Zun with hundred deer design in soft colors, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Yingqing porcelain bowl with carving design of frolic children and lotus, Song dynasty

Small cup with twin phoenixes, Jizhou ware, Song dynasty

Bowl with flower design in red and green colours, Jin dynasty

Blue-and-white jar with design of two phoenixes and flowers, reign of Emperor Xuande in Ming dynasty

Blue-and-white water-chestnut-petal dish with flower sprays design, reign of Emperor Xuande in Ming dynasty

Square-covered jar with design of cloud and dragon in red and green colors, reign of Emperor Jiajing in Ming dynasty

Blue-and-white lotus-petal dish with inscription in Sanskrit, reign of Emperor Wanli in Ming dynasty

Blue-and-white bowl with lotus scrolls design, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Cloisonn, enameled bowl with flower design on red ground, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Cloisonn, enameled bowl with peony design on yellow ground, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Simple-glazed bowl with lightly incised decoration of cloud and dragon and design of flower sprays and butterfly, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Red-glazed gallbladder-shaped vase, Lang ware, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Rouge-purple-glazed bowl, reign of Emperor Yongzheng in Qing dynasty

Light greenish blue glazed laver with veiled decoration, reign of Emperor Yongzheng in Qing dynasty

Blue-and-white garlic-head vase with design of flower and fruit sprays, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Cloisonn, enameled small vase with flower design, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Stone-imitation-glazed tripod burner, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Light greenish glazed zun with silk mark, reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing dynasty

Polychrome large circle dish with flower and bird design, reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing dynasty

Bowl with butterfly design in soft colors, reign of Emperor Yongzheng in Qing dynasty