Sold Ceramics - Sold Shipwreck Porcelains - Unidentified Shipwreck wares - Page 1

Object 2010599

Teapot

China

c.1725

Provenance: Previous in the collection of a German collector who worked in Vietnam and bought the teapot 25 years ago on a local market. Fishermen found this teapot and cover together with other ceramics in their nets. He had it restored by a local craftsman who added a steel or low purity Oriental metal spout and handle.

Height 132 mm (5.19 inch), diameter handle to spout 193 mm (7.60 inch), diameter of footring 70 mm (2.76 inch)

Pear-shaped teapot on footring, curved steel spout and C-shaped handle (both replaced), domed pierced cover with round knob. Decorated in underglaze blue and various overglaze enamels with various scattered branches, round the mouth rim a border with cartouches. On the cover a similar decoration with scattered branches an around the rim of the lid also a border with cartouches.

All the enamels, except for three tiny green spots, have been eroded by the sea now remaining only visible as ghostly outlines. Although without the original Sotheby's - UNICOM - CA MAU - BIN THUAN label with number and without the original Sotheby's sale AM0967 (MADE IN IMPERIAL CHINA 76,000 PICES OF CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN FROM THE CA MAU SHIPWRECK, CIRCA 1725) lot 1091/7 label, this teapot was, most likely, part of the porcelain cargo of the Ca Mau Shipwreck, two similar shaped and decorated teapots were sold in lot 433 togehther with four other shaped teapots.. (Amsterdam 2007, p.119, lot 433)

Condition: All over fine crazing to the glaze with a few glaze hairlines to the body, loss of glaze shine can be expected, this simply adds to the rich history of the piece.

Reference:

Amsterdam 2007, lot 433

Price: Sold.