East Asia, China, late Ming Dynasty, ca. 17th century CE. A remarkable ensemble of 6 Chinese pottery vessels: 4 jars and 2 bowls. Enveloped in a pale gray-green glaze, the first jar exhibits a narrow base, a wide hip, curved shoulders, and a raised rim flanked by a pair of petite loop-form handles. Next, the second jar presents a spherical body with a concave base, a brief neck, and an undulating rim, all coated in a light sage-hued glaze. The third jar displays an apple-form body, a flat shoulder, a short neck, and a circular base. Its exterior is adorned with intricately painted, blue-on-white decoration of striated, fish scale, and floral motifs. The last of the jars features a squat form with a broad hip, an attenuated neck, and a ring-form base, all coated in white glaze with abstract blue designs. Similarly, the 2 bowls also showcase blue-on-white patterns along their exterior, as well as similar bodies, each with a ring-shaped foot and slender walls that spread outwards to a circular rim. Size of largest: 2.9" Diameter x 1.8" H (7.4 cm x 4.6 cm)

The more petite bowl has a gently flared rim, while the larger displays a brief flat shoulder before its wide, raised rim.

During this time period, China was the great naval power of the East, with technology that surpassed anything that Europe had yet developed; this was the time of Zheng He and China's role as an international trader from the Mediterranean to the south Pacific. As the Ming period progressed, and the political conditions that had held the overland Silk Route together deteriorated, a Maritime Silk Road became more important to Chinese trade. These cups were likely from South China near Fujian and were headed to Malaysia to trade with the Dutch East India Company, when the ship sank off the coast of Binh Thuan Thailand in 1608 CE.

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010

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#169340

All have expected nicks, chips, and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, all are very nice with impressive remaining pigments and lovely craquelure.