Sold Ceramics - Sold Kraak Porcelain wares 1570-1645 - Closed Forms - Page 1

Objects 2012395 & 2012396

A pair of bottles

China

c.1613-1615

2012395: Height 258 mm (10.16 inch), diameter 152 mm (5.98 inch), diameter of mouthrim 35 mm (1.38 inch), diameter of footring 93 mm (3.66 inch), weight 898 grams (31.67 ounce (oz.))

2012396: Height 263 mm (10.35 inch), diameter 153 mm (6.02 inch), diameter of mouthrim 35 mm (1.38 inch), diameter of footring 90 mm (3.54 inch), weight 1,008 grams (35.56 ounce (oz.))

A pair of heavy and thickly potted bottles modelled with pear-shaped bodies, tall tapering necks, slightly flared mouths with rolled mouth rims and low, thick, V-shaped foot rings. The recessed bases are slightly convex and glazed. The bottles are decorated in deep shades of cobalt blue, darkening in some areas to a blackish blue, beneath a blue-tinged glaze. The lower bodies are moulded with six wide and narrow vertical panels. The wide panels are decorated with winged horses galloping above waves through cloud scrolls alternating with flower sprays growing from rocks. The narrow panels are decorated with vertical lines framed by curvy lines. The necks are decorated with six panels enclosing pending strings of beads, jewels and tassels, interrupted by a stylized ruyi-head border. Borders of stylized overlapping petals encircle the mouth rims. The rims are edged in blue. (Welsh 2008, p.152)

This bottle can be classified as a closed Forms, pear-shaped bottle. The name defines the shape of these bottles: a rounded body low on the footring with a neck of varying length, often ending with a garlic-shaped protuberance. These bottles are often referred to as Persian flasks. Unlike Kraak bowls and dishes, footrims on bottles are thick, low almost rolled. Bases are glazed. The Hatcher cargo produced a large amount of full-size bottles, which are truly representative of the term "pear-shaped". In these late pieces the border on the shoulder is wide and may have a meander pattern or thick lines. A series of dots covers the rest of the neck. When it is present, the garlic shape at the end of the neck is decorated with triangular motifs connected by straight lines. The large panels sport the unusual decorations but the flying horse, painted vertically and head down, is a favourite motif. All these bottles are heavily potted. (Rinaldi 1989, pp.166-191)

Such pear-shaped bottles were common in the cargoes of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) ships returning to the Netherlands and frequently figure in the Company's records as pear-shaped bottles and "Persian" bottles are mentioned as separate items, but the difference between them is not yet clear. Several pieces of the same shape and with rather casual and simplified decoration were found in the Hatcher wreck, a Chinese Junk which sank c.1643. Thus this bottle is dated accordingly. Unlike dishes, saucers and bowls of Kraak porcelain, hollow forms such as bottles, ewers and jars do not have the characteristic thin body of Kraak porcelain and are more heavily potted. Nevertheless, all authors accept them as Kraak ware because of their decoration in - usually moulded - panels. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.66)

For identically decorated bottles, please see:

Condition:

2012395: A firing flaw to the footring, some popped bubbles of glaze to the rim, three chips and two glaze hairlines to the rim (only visible on one side).

2012396: Hairlines to the rim and base.

References:

Volker 1954, reprint 1971, Pl. VI, cat. 8b

Stamford 1981, cat. 140

Amsterdam 1984/1, lot 95 & 96

Amsterdam 1984/2, lot 95-96

Amsterdam 1985, lot 221

Sheaf & Kilburn 1988, Pl.48

M. Rinaldi 1989, Pl.215

Howard 1997, cat. 16

Jörg & Van Campen 1997, cat. 52

Welsh 2008, p.152

Seoul 2020, cat. 43

Price: Sold.