A VUNG TAO BLUE AND WHITE CARGO

DISH,

17th century, bearing original Christies lot label,

7 April 1992 - 8 April 1992, Amsterdam, 19.5cm

diameter

 

The Vung Tau wreck was discovered by...

A VUNG TAO BLUE AND WHITE CARGO

DISH,

17th century, bearing original Christies lot label,

7 April 1992 - 8 April 1992, Amsterdam, 19.5cm

diameter

 

The Vung Tau wreck was discovered by Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea off the islands of Con Dao, 100 miles from Vung Tao, Vietnam.The wreck was a lorcha boat, a Chinese vessel with Portuguese influences, that dated to about 1690. After its discovery, a an archaeological salvage operation went underway. The Chinese junk was en route to the town of Batavia (present day Jakarta) in Indonesia. Batavia was the centre for trade with the Dutch East India Company. At the time there existed a very complex trading relationship between Asia and the Netherlands and Batavia was the most important trans-shipment centre for the Dutch company.

 

The cargo carried on the vessel would have been purchased by the East India Company for sale in Holland, but it never reached its destination. hA total of 48,288 items of fine Qing Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain from Jingdezhen and other artifacts were recovered. These included bamboo combs, inkwells, tweezers, dice, and dishes. A selection of these were sold by Christie's in Amsterdam in 1992, of which the present example was also included.

 

The characteristic colour of the porcelain, has been drastically altered by its submersion on the ocean floor for nearly three hundred years. It is no longer the bright blue tone but rather a faded white/grey colour, which has become synonymous with the wreckage and the subsequent salvage mission, and as such the items in themselves become new and distinctive porcelain pieces. It gives us a unique perspective on the styles and the different types of objects that were being produced for export to the taste and fashions of the Western market.

 

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