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Chinese Export Bowl from "The Nanking Cargo", c. 1751

Offered by: Robert Morrissey Antiques & Fine Art

Description
Chinese export porcelain bowl from "The Nanking Cargo", the exterior with overglaze brown, the interior painted with underglaze blue flowers. With Christie's label bearing lot number 2516.

The exterior glaze on this bowl is an uneven pale brown. Another bowl of the same size and decoration, but with with an even, rich chocolate glaze is also available.

On December 18, 1751, the Dutch East India Company ship, The Geldermalsen, set sail from Canton to Amsterdam, laden with over 5,000 rolls of silk, 340 tons of tea and 200 chests of porcelain. Tragically, sixteen days later, on January 3, 1752, she hit a reef and sank in 150 feet of water. Thirty-two crew members survived, but 80 men and all her cargo were lost.

In 1985, undersea treasure hunter Michael Hatcher and his crew discovered the Geldermalsen, definitively identified by her bell. The tea and silk had long since disintegrated, but the porcelain, packed in tea and straw, lay beautifully preserved on the ocean floor for 233 years. They salvaged over 150,000 pieces which were sold in 1986 at Christies in Amsterdam in a sensational sale dubbed "The Nanking Cargo" that garnered international headlines.

Scholar Christiaan J. A. Jorg details the story in his 1986 book, "The Geldermalsen- History and Porcelain". Of the 25,921 bowls aboard the Geldermalsen, Hatcher salvaged nearly 17,000. Those with brown glaze to the exterior were decorated in only two designs- a river landscape or flowers, as seen here.

More Information

Origin:	China
Period:	18th Century
Materials:	Porcelain
Condition:	Good. Excellent condition- no chips, cracks or repairs.
Styles / Movements:	Chinese Export, Traditional
Dealer Reference #:	5093999
Incollect Reference #:	843894

Dimensions

H.	3.25 in;	Diam.	7.25 in;
H.	8.26 cm;	Diam.	18.42 cm;

Message from Seller:

Robert Morrissey Antiques & Fine Art, established in 1948, specializes in period European furniture, modern design, and an extensive selection of paintings and sculpture. Contact us at 314.644.7066 or robert@robertmorrissey.com to explore our curated collection.