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A beautiful, unusual porcelain tea bowl from the famous Hoi An cargo. 

The Ming Dynasty bowl is of Vietnamese origin, dating to approximately 1400 AD; a sea salvaged and officially recorded piece from the 'Hoi-An' Shipwreck.

The deep bowl is of delicate form, with ring base and flaring walls. The lip, trimmed into lobes forming an undulating petal shape, which gives the bowl the appearance of an opened flower. An open sunflower adorns the tondo.  The exterior of the vessel is decorated with a flower head and leaf meander with a conjoined petal border around the base.  

This rare piece has a wonderful, romantic provenance. It was excavated from the important Hoi-An shipwreck. The Hoi-An was a huge, overloaded trading ship that sank in the mid 15th Century, probably due to a catastrophic typhoon. The ship was carrying a substantial cargo of High Quality Vietnamese Ming export porcelain. We know that the Hoi An wares were produced in Kilns near modern-day Hanoi and were probably bound for the European Market before the ship was cruelly destroyed and sunk 250 feet into the cold waters of the South China Sea. The fascinating story of the Hoi-An and its recovery has been made into a best-selling novel by Frank Pope, entitled Dragon Sea: A True Tale of Treasure, Archeology, and Greed Off the Coast of Vietnam.

In contrast to many unprovenanced Hoi An pieces on the market, this ceramic has been officially recorded by the Vietnamese authorities (VISAL), whose sticker is affixed to the artifact.  The recent ratification of the UNESCO convention by South East Asian countries will effectively put a halt to all future shipwreck salvage operations.  Consequently, legitimately recorded pieces such as the present example are finite in supply and currently represent a fantastic investment opportunity.

Diameter: 2 5/8 inches.

Condition: Very well preserved, an excellent and vibrant example. With areas of beautiful marine encrustation, fascinating evidence of over half a millennium spent on the ocean floor. Unrestored.

Display stand shown is property of the photography studio. An identical stand may be found in our store, under accessories.




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ArtAncient Limited is registered in England no. 06376708
Vat registration no: GB 948 9832 53.

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