Vietnamese Blue de Hue Porcelain 8-Piece Tea Service for Six W/Calligraphy Poem Motif Marked "Jade Trinket" (From a Vietnamese Royal Family) - This porcelain tea service for five is elaborately decorated in vivid cobalt blue underglaze with a calligraphy poem circling the piece. This tea service includes (6) tea cups, one large round tray and one small round tray. The bottom of each piece bears the two character "Ngoan ngoc" marking meaning "jade trinket". This very high quality porcelain was ordered from China for the court use. Although Chinese artisans executed the painting, Vietnamese rulers dictated the designs. Each ruler ordered ceramics of his own liking for use in his court, as well as presentation pieces to give to members of royal families and mandarin officials. 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). 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. Measurements: tray-7.25" in diameter x 1"H, small tray-4.5" in diameter x 1"H, cups-1.5"H x 2" in diameter.