Vase for the Asian market, c. 1500, Hongzhi reign, Ming dynasty.

Vase with cover in coarse Chinese export porcelain for the Asian market, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue (qinghua) with “long Eliza’s” and attendants, c. 1500, Hongzhi reign, Ming dynasty, h. 17,5 cm, 7 in. 1.13210

Illustrated: 100 Years of Chinese Export Porcelain, by A. Varela Santos, 2014/2015, cat. 133.

Literature: Céramiques Chinoises d’Exportation pour l’Asie du Sud-Est, Fondation Baur, by M. Crick, 2010 Genève, p. p. 307, cat. 186 for a plate decorated in the same style dated late 15th century/early 16th century.

◆ Recent archaeological research has proved that a group of kilns in the Fujian province were producing coarse porcelain for export mainly to the Asian market from c. 1570 until c. 1650, but not to Europe where they preferred the lighter and better-quality porcelain from the private Jingdezhen kilns.
The Portuguese and later the Dutch were active traders in these wares in the inter-Asia commerce, which were known as Swatow porcelain from the port from where they were exported.

The long civil wars of the mid-17th century ended, or reduced drastically, the activity of these kilns.