East Asia, China, late Ming Dynasty, ca. 17th century CE. A lovely collection of 5 pottery bowls, each presenting ring-form feet and impressively thin walls that rise to gently flared rims, all enveloped in white glaze. A pair of the bowls each feature a bare, unglazed ring at the bottom of the basin, as well as a rectangular symbol on the underside of the base. Alternatively, the remaining 3 boast rich marine encrustations of salt, shells, and barnacles formed from centuries spent on the ocean floor. Size of largest: 3.2" L x 2.9" W x 1.4" H (8.1 cm x 7.4 cm x 3.6 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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#169335

All have expected nicks and abrasions. Otherwise, all are intact and excellent. Three have heavy marine encrustations.