Of rounded shape rising from a straight foot to a barbed rim. The exterior is decorated with sprays of fruit trees. The interior with a central floral spray within a double circle, and three seashells on the sides. This bowl comes from the Bintan shipwreck (see more info below) and was produced around 1710.
Period: Kangxi period (ca 1710)
Size: Diameter 14.7 cm, height 7.5 cm
Condition: Good condition, light wear, a few minor chips to the rim, minor glazing flaws, glaze slightly matt, no cracks or repairs found under UV-light.
Provenance: A private Swedish collection
SKU: 122
References: -
Bintan shipwreck
The Kangxi Bintan wreck, discovered in 2012 southeast of Bintan Island in Indonesia's Riau archipelago, was found by local fishermen, as is common in Southeast Asia. The ship, estimated to have been 50–60 meters long, lies on a sandy seabed at a depth of 50 meters. Although its origins remain uncertain, it was likely a large Chinese junk.
The ship's cargo suggests a sinking date in the early 18th century, during the late Kangxi period (1700–1722). Similarities in ceramic styles link it to the Ca Mau wreck, a Chinese junk that sank near Vietnam in the early Yongzheng period (1723–1735). While less comparable to the Vung Tau wreck (sunk after 1690), the Kangxi Bintan wreck likely went down after 1710, based on ceramic analysis.
The cargo, estimated at over half a million ceramic pieces, rivals only the Belanakan Hatcher (Jiajing-Wanli era) and Tek Sing (1822) wrecks in size. It boasts an unprecedented The variety of shapes and decorations is astonishing, strongly indicating its destination was Batavia (modern Jakarta), where it would have been sold to the Dutch VOC for the European market.
Most of the cargo comprises Kangxi blue-and-white porcelain from Jingdezhen. Items range from small 60 mm vases with simple floral patterns to large 600 mm tall vases depicting scenes from The Romance of the Red Chamber and The Three Kingdoms. Many items remain under water.
