Pale Green Chinese "Mei Ping" Vase / Crackle Glaze / Brown Etched Mark

Hello
Any thoughts as to what the mark on the bottom says and the age of this piece ? I bought it because I loved the color and shape. I'm thinking it's not very old but curious to know any information about it. It's 9 1/2 " tall and finished in a green crackle glaze
                                                                                                                                   Thank you,
                                                                                                                                     -Mike-

An interesting vase. Googling 'celadon crackle glaze brown seal' has thrown up a number of others, but the mark doesn't look like a proper four character seal mark. This might mean its earlier than 20th century and made by illiterate potters who just made an approximate seal mark on the base. Or it could be modern and the mark is the potters name or piece mark. If there are signs of age such as dirt on the inside of the pot, then I would take it to an auction house and ask their advice. Or contact Gotheborg.com website, which specialises in Chinese and Japanese porcelain and ask them.

Hi Naomi,
        Thanks for looking at the vase. I did shine a flashlight inside trying to get some light into it and check the bottom. The bottom is very black with what looks like sediment of some kind. It's really hard to get a view of the interior sides because of the shape and the neck is so narrow. Probably had water and flowers in it at some point but it's far from clean. -Mike-

That's a good indication of an early date - 19th, maybe 18th century, if you're lucky. I would definitely take it to an auction house tht has an expert in oriental porcelain for an appraisal.

Hi Naomi,...I put this on the "Collecting Chinese and Antique Porcelain" site as well and Peter said it's a "Fangge" vase probably late Qing to Early Republic. It's hard to be more specific because it's undecorated. So we're talking turn of the century. Say 1880-1912 approximately. He also agreed with you that the mark is, in his words " a very poorly written Chengua mark ". So it is an antique just not ancient or extremely valuable. Pieces I've seen at auction are usually only a couple hundred , but it depends on size and decoration too. Still quite a find for a thrift store ! -Mike-