Sold Ceramics

Amsterdams Bont is the name given to a specific group of Japanese or Chinese porcelain that was over-decorated with enamels in the Netherlands. The group consists of bowls, plates, vases, cups and saucers, etc., that were painted in underglaze blue in Jingdezhen or Arita (Japan) and shipped to Holland. Because coloured wares yielded more profits than the ordinary blue-and-white, an additional enamelled decoration was painted on these porcelains. Sometimes this new decoration respects the original Chinese or Japanese decoration and elaborates on it. Other times, however, the Dutch painter was not so respectful and over-painted the blue, creating a chaotic design. Of course, it was easier to paint undecorated pieces that were completely white, for which Japanese wares seem to have been preferred. Over-decorating first appears c.1700 and continued far into the 18th century. It was probably done privately by individuals to generate some extra income. These over-painted pieces were fired in local ceramic factories, which did this in addition to their normal assortment. It is likely that this practise was concentrated in Delft, Makkum and Harlingen where earthenware (faience) was produced, but it could also be done in tile factories such as those in Rotterdam. Notwithstanding the name of this category, there is no indication that it was done on a large scale in Amsterdam. Dated pieces are rare, and because there is almost no documentary information on Amsterdams Bont, it is difficult to say when exactly these pieces were made. Usually, carefully painted objects are regarded as early.

Sold Japanese wares over-decorated in the West 18th Century

Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont

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2012035

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese wares over-decorated in the West 18th Century - Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont - Page 1

Object 2012035

Teacup and saucer

Japan

1680-1700, overdecorated in the Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont, c.1720-1740

Height of teacup 43 mm (1.12 inch), diameter of rim 73 mm (2.87 inch), diameter of footring 26 mm (1.02 inch), weight 40 grams (1.41 ounce (oz.)) 

Height of saucer 22 mm (0.87 inch), diameter of rim 121 mm (4.76 inch), diameter of footring 75 mm or (2.95 inch), weight 75 grams (2.65 ounce (oz.)) 

Teacup and saucer on footrings, slightly everted rims. Decorated in Kakiemon enamels with flowering plants growing from rockwork and two birds in flight. Subsequently overdecorated in iron-red, black and overglaze yellow and green enamel, in the Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont c.1720-1740 with a red birdcage, flowering plants and bamboo with ears of corn. The reverse is undecorated. The teacup is decorated en suite.  

An interesting side effect of the introduction of the muffle kiln was the emergence around 1700 of a new category of porcelains known as Amsterdams Bont that were imported as blanks from Asia and decorated with polychrome enamels in the Netherlands. Because muffle kilns were fired at a low temperature, they could be used in smaller workshops away from the porcelain factories. Thus dishes, ewers, bowls, bottles, and other objects of Chinese or, less commonly, Japanese porcelain imported into the Netherlands could be painted in enamels with chinoiserie or Kakiemon designs and fired economically in small batches. Originally, these Asian porcelains were either plain white, without decorations, or painted sparingly in underglaze blue. (Impey, Jörg & Mason 2009, p.56)

This original Japanese Kakiemon decorated teacup and saucer was also used for overdecorating with polychrome enamels in the Netherlands making an already valued object even more special and distinct from other Chinese and Japanese enamelled porcelain. An interesting detail on this teacup and saucer is the carefully overdecorated birdcage, which is in fact an original Kakiemon design, on an object of Kakiemon origin. The birdcage motif is often seen combined with a young lady who yearns for her absent husband or lover and is only kept company by a caged bird. It refers to a scene from the tale of Genji, an 11th - century novel (Impey, Jörg & Mason 2009, p.117 & Fitski 2011, p.163)

For an example of a Japanese Kakiemon decorated teacup and saucer with the original Kakiemon birdcage design, please see:

• The Wrestling Boys. Chinese and Japanese Ceramics from the 16th to the 18th Century in the Collection at Burghley House, (The Trustees of Burghley House, Stamford 1981), p.21, cat. 59.
• Porcelain for Palaces. The Fashion for Japan in Europe 1650-1750, (J. Ayers, O. Impey & J.V.G. Mallet, Oriental Ceramic Society & The British Museum, London 1990), p.97, cat. 38.
• Japanese Export Porcelain. Catalogue of the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, (O. Impey, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2002), p.155, cat. 127.
• Dragons, Tigers and Bamboo: Japanese Porcelain and its impact in Europe - The Mac-Donald Collection, (O.Impey, C.J.A. Jörg and C. Mason, Douglas & McIntyre Publishers Inc., Vancouver/Toronto/Berkeley 2009), p.117, Fig. 70.

For an example of two Chinese beakers and a saucer overdecorated in Kakiemon style with the birdcage design, please see:

• European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain 1700-1830, (H. Espir, Jorge Welsh Books, London, UK, 2005), p.84, pl.16.
• The Helen Espir Collection of European Decorated Oriental Porcelain, auction catalogue Woolley & Wallis Salisbury, 12 November 2014, p.38, cat. 362

This  teacup and saucer can be considered a rare and unique example of a Japanese Kakiemon decoration later embellished with Amsterdam Bont in kakiemon style.

Condition teacup: some fleabites and a hairline to the rim.

Condition saucer: some fleabites, a frit, a hairline and a frit with a connected hairline.

References:

Stamford 1981, cat. 49

Ayers, Impey & Mallet 1990, cat. 127 

Impey 2002, cat. 247

Espir 2005, pl.16

Impey, Jörg & Mason 2009, p.56 & Fig, 70

Fitski 2011, p.163

Salisbury 2014, cat. 362

Price: Sold.

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2012403

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese wares over-decorated in the West 18th Century - Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont - Page 1

Object 2012403

Teacup and saucer

Japan

1700-1730, over-decorated in the Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont, c.1750

Height of teacup 34 mm (1.34 inch), diameter or rim 57 mm (2.24 inch), diameter of footring 23 mm (0.91 inch), weight 29 grams (1.02 ounce (oz.)) 

Height of saucer 15 mm (0.59 inch), diameter of rim 101 mm (3.98 inch), diameter of footring 41 mm (1.61 inch), weight 46 grams (1.62 ounce (oz.)) 

Teacup and saucer on footrings, slightly everted rims. Over-decorated in iron-red and gold in The Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont c.1740 with with a squirrel climbing through branches of vine. The teacup is decorated en suite.

In traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures, images of squirrels and grapes together formed a rebus signifying a wish to have many sons. Squirrels and grape images appear in Chinese painting as early as the thirteenth century an in Chinese porcelain as early as the sixteenth century. Japanese decorators began using the design on Kakiemon-style porcelains in the seventeenth century, and it spread to Europe in the eighteenth century. The design was first copied in Europe at the Meissen factory and was imitated later by many other factories in France and England, Because the Europeans did not know the origin of the design, they sometimes mistook the squirrel for a rat and called it the 'rat and grape' design. (Impey, Jörg & Mason 2009, p.146, Fig, 102)

The depiction of vines with squirrels was a very popular, repeated pattern on a range of craftwork since the Ming Dynasty, but especially on porcelain, stoneware and snuff bottles. The squirrel, which can bear offspring more than once a year, symbolizes fertility, as does the vine with abundant grapes, and both motifs were used primarily as auspicious symbols intended to bring to the recipient a great number of sons and grandsons. Symbolism of this kind was developed as early as in the Tang Dynasty and later also reached Japan, where similar patterns always represented a tradition adopted from continental Asia, The pattern appeared quite frequently on Chinese porcelain as is demonstrated by several examples in a range of collections worldwide. (Suchomel 2015, p.228, cat.109)

For other objects decorated with the 'squirrel and grape' pattern, please see:

• Dragons, Tigers and Bamboo: Japanese Porcelain and its impact in Europe - The Mac-Donald Collection, (O.Impey, C.J.A. Jörg and C. Mason, Douglas & McIntyre Publishers Inc., Vancouver/Toronto/Berkeley 2009), p.146, Fig. 102.
• 300 Treasures, (F. Suchomel, Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Prague, 2015), p.228, cat. 109. 

• Sold Ceramics - Sold Blue and White Kangxi Period 1662-1722 - Other Vases - Page 1 - Object 2010265.

Condition teacup: A frit to the footring.

Condition saucer: Perfect.

References:

Impey, Jörg & Mason 2009, Fig, 102

Suchomel 2015, cat.109

Price: Sold.

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2012224

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese wares over-decorated in the West 18th Century - Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont - Page 1

Object 2012221

Beaker vase

Japan

1700-1720, Over-decorated in the West probably England, clobbered, c.1780-1830

Height 170 mm (6.69 inch), diameter of mouth 92 mm (3.62 inch), diameter of waist 78 mm (3.07 inch), diameter of footring 58 mm (2.28 inch), weight 409 grams (14.43 ounce (oz.))

Beaker vase of waisted cylindrical shape with a flaring rim and a spreading lower part tapering to a takefushi-shaped foot on a footring. Decorated in underglaze blue with two groups of flowering plants, round the rim a border with flower heads on an underglaze blue ground. Over-decorated in green enamel, iron-red and gold in the West probably England, clobbered, c.1780-1830 with flowering plants, leaves and scrolls. Round the foot an asterisks and dots and a silkworm-pattern border.  Marked on the base with an over-decorator's mark in iron-red in the form of a square filled with a pseudo-Chinese character.

According to Espir this beaker vase belongs to a group of Japanese porcelain over-decorated with what is thought to be English decoration dating from c.1780 until about 1830. It is generally garish and so overwhelming that it gave rise to the term 'clobbered' and the poor reputation from which all over-decorated Chinese and Japanese porcelain have suffered since the late 19th century. Much of the Chinese and Japanese porcelain over-decorated in this way was blue and white dating back to the flood of imports from the first half of the eighteenth century which by then was one hundred years old second hand and so unfashionable as to be unsaleable. On the base of many pieces over-decorated in this way is a decorator's mark in iron-red in the form of a square filled with a pseudo-Chinese character. (Espir 2005, pp.239-240)     

The demand for Japanese porcelain was strong but production was restricted so here was a gap in the market that the enameller could fill most profitably by giving Chinese porcelain a Japanese look. The simplest way of transferring Chinese porcelain into 'Japanese' was to enhance Chinese blue and white porcelain with iron-red and gold to create the appearance of Imari. For European decorated oriental porcelain mostly Chinese export porcelain objects were used. Only a small proportion were Japanese. (Espir 2005, p.74)

This beaker vase was once part of a garniture which mostly consisted of three covered oviform-shaped jars and two cylindrical beaker vases with spreading mouths, all with the same decoration, They were very popular in The Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, where they were used as decorative items in the interior. (Jörg 2003/1, p.259)

Condition: Perfect.

References:

Jörg 2003/1, p.259

Espir 2005, p.74 & pp.239-240

Price: Sold.

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2010107

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese wares over-decorated in the West 18th Century - Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont - Page 1

Object 2010107

Teacup and saucer

Japan

1720-1730, over-decorated in the Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont,c.1740-1750

Height of teacup 39 mm (1.54 inch), diameter or rim 70 mm (2.76 inch), diameter of footring 30 mm (1.18 inch)

Height of saucer 19 mm (0.75 inch), diameter of rim 115 mm (4.53 inch), diameter of footring 54 mm (2.13 inch)

Teacup and saucer on footrings, slightly everted rims. Over-decorated in various overglaze enamels, iron-red, black and gold in The Netherlands, Amsterdams Bont c.1750-1770 with a couple sitting outside by a table drinking coffee in a landscape with trees, water and a village with a church tower in the background. On the table an 18th century Dutch coffeepot with two tabs (in Dutch een kraantjeskan met twee kraantjes). The man is holding his cup upside down in his hand just above his saucer but strangely the woman seems to be drinking from the saucer instead of the cup which clearly stands on the table. The reverse is undecorated. The teacup is decorated en suite.

In the Netherlands and Germany it was the custom, in some circles, to pour the tea or coffee from the cup into the saucer and drink it from the saucer.

For an identically over-decorated saucer, please see:

• European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain 1700-1830, (H. Espir, Jorge Welsh Books, London, UK, 2005), p.167, cat 17.

Another similarly, Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont, design on identically sized and shaped Japanese teacups & saucers, shows a couple and the Commedia dell`Arte character Arclecchino standing at the water's edge (without the table). The rim with an identical border.. The Commedia dell`Arte was a popular subject on Meissen porcelain in the 1740s and '40s, and it is likely that this is from where this similarly design derives.

For a teacup and saucer with this similarly Dutch over-decorated Amsterdams Bont design, please see:

• European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain 1700-1830, (H. Espir, Jorge Welsh Books, London, UK, 2005), p.161, cat 11.
• The Helen Espir Collection of European Decorated Oriental Porcelain, auction catalogue Woolley & Wallis Salisbury, 12 November 2014, p.17, cat. 324

Condition teacup: Perfect.

Condition saucer: Perfect.

References:

Espir 2005, cat 11 & 17

Salisbury 2014, cat. 324

Price: Sold.

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