**Originally Listed At $300**

Southeast Asia, Thailand, Sawankhalok (Sawankalok), ca. 15th century CE; East Asia, China, late Ming Dynasty, ca. 17th century CE. A beautiful ensemble of 5 pottery jars, each presenting an apple-form body, a flat shoulder, and a narrow, raised rim, all sitting upon a ring-shaped foot. All enveloped in white glaze, the exterior of each vessel boasts blue decoration, skillfully hand-painted with flower petals adorning the rim. Four jars have floral, vegetal, and avian motifs embellishing the walls, while the Thai jar has a horizontal band of abstract designs decorating its shoulder. Size of largest: 2.1" Diameter x 2.3" H (5.3 cm x 5.8 cm)

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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#169339

All have chipping to rim, as well as expected nicks and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, all are intact and excellent with impressive remaining pigments. Marine encrustations on interiors.