Zhangzhou (Swatow) wares 1570-1650 - Martavans & Jarlets - Jarlets

Object 201052

Jarlet

(Southeast) China, Zhangzhou (Swatow)

1570-1650

Height 47 mm (1.85 inch), diameter 61 mm (2.40 inch), diameter of rim 20 mm (0.79 inch), diameter of footring 38 mm (1.50 inch), weight 109 grams (3.85 ounce (oz.))

Jarlet on a flat unglazed base with an angled shoulder and a short upright neck. Crackled glaze. Decorated in underglaze blue with two cartouches containing a carp leaping out the sea separated by a scale or concentric waves pattern. Around the shoulder a lotus leaf pattern border. On the base an old paper collectors label that reads: "289".

These jarlets were unearthed in large quantities particularly in Indonesia. This might also explain why the jarlet is filled with lumps of solid earth that are to big to get out of the jarlet. These kind of jarlets were mass-produced over centuries and are very common in Southeast Asia where they, apart from being used as burial objects, were used for medicines, unguents and cosmetics. (Rinaldi 1989, pp.88-91)

Condition: Two tiny glaze frits with a tiny, glued back, glaze piece round the rim, some wear to the glaze.

References:

Miedema 1964, cat. S95

Lunsingh Scheurleer 1977, cat. 54

Harrisson 1979, cat. 161

Rinaldi 1989, p.230

Price: € 199 Currency Converter