Vietnamese 19th C. Bleu de Hue Porcelain Lidded Wedding Bowl W/Double Happiness Symbol (From a Vietnamese Royal Family) - This stunning Bleu de Hue porcelain wedding bowl is elaborately decorated with stylized floral bouquets and double happiness (Shuangxi) symbols against a repeating geometrical background. This form of lidded bowl (Chupu in Chinese) was typically used to serve delicacies such as bird nest soup, particularly at weddings to serve the bride and groom. The double happiness symbol is also understood to mean "wedded bliss". The base of the bowl is left undecorated, and the inner rim is unglazed. The top of the lid is finished with a metal rim, as selected vessels were finished with rims of silver as early as the Han dynasty to set them apart from the ordinary and to make them suitable for high class clients. This piece has excellent investment potential, as it is thought by experts around the world and avid collectors that due to the rapid modernization of Vietnam, Vietnamese antiques will within the next ten years be more valuable than Chinese antiques. According to some of the most expert collectors in the world, what used to sell for hundreds are now selling for tens of thousands. This piece comes from the estate of a Vietnamese Royal Family (the family now lives in the United States, and wishes to remain private as they still have relatives living in Vietnam). Measurements: 5"H (2.75"H without lid) x 4.25" diameter.