DESCRIPTION: (2 Pc) Ex-Sotheby's Antique Chinese Ca Mau Shipwreck Porcelain Teacup & Saucer Set. Saucer and plate decorated in underglaze with a blue bird motif. The saucer reverse is decorated. On the base handwritten in black ink: 'CM4.844' and a rectangular paper label with the handwritten number: '1303' (in red) and and the original Sotheby's - UNICOM, CA MAU - BINH THUAN label with number 78103. The tea cup has a handwritten mark on the underside in black ink: 'CMI.3504'

From The Ca Mau Shipwreck, c.1725

The Ca Mau shipwreck was a Chinese ocean going junk, almost certainly en route from Canton (now Guangzhou) to the Dutch trading port of Batavia (now Jakarta). Disaster struck of the Ca Mau peninsula, there was a fire on board so severe that some of the porcelain was fused together. There were a few wine cups recovered bearing the mark of the Emperor Yongzheng who reigned from 1723 to 1735. By this time tea and coffee was the rage throughout Europe and the principal traders were the British 'Honourable East India Company' and the Dutch East India Company, (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, VOC). With the demand for tea came demand for porcelain by which to drink it and so most of what they imported in these year was tea wares.

The Ca Mau shipwreck was discovered by fishermen working of the Ca Mau peninsular when their nets snagged on it. In all, 130,000 pieces were recovered and 76,000 of the finer condition pieces were selected to be sold as 'Made in Imperial China. 76,000 pieces of Chinese Export Porcelain from the Ca Mau Shipwreck, circa 1725' by Sotheby’s Amsterdam on 29, 30 & 31 January 2007. (Amsterdam 2007, pp.6-7)

Provenance: Made in Imperial China. 76.000 pieces of Chinese Export Porcelain from the Ca Mau shipwreck, circa 1725 sale, Sotheby's Amsterdam, 29, 30 & 31 January 2007.

CIRCA: 1725
ORIGIN: China
DIMENSIONS: Saucer: W: 5" Teacup: H: 1 5/8" W: 3"
CONDITION: With to tiny firing flaws on saucer.