Lot #54-220433

Original Antique Hoi An Hoard Shipwreck Lot of 3 Miniature Jarlets #220433

1. #220433 Jarlet, approx. h 29 mm x w 29 mm diameter (no pattern)
2. #219084 Jarlet, approx. h 25 mm x w 25 mm diameter
3. #222970 Jarlet, approx. h 19 mm x w 22 mm diameter

• Period: dating to circa the late 15th or early 16th century AD (Guy 2000: XIII; Hall 2013: 87) or earlier at around 1430–1480 (Bound 2000: XI; Pope 2007: 301)

Discovery

In 1993–94, the crew of a fishing vessel off the coast of the Hoi An area of Vietnam began to find ceramics in their fishing nets when trawling in a particular spot (Bound 2000: V). The boat’s captain, Captain Trang, reportedly decided to fish exclusively for these pots after an antiques dealer in Hoi An bought his first yield ‘for a good price’ (Pope 2007: 37). Before long, other crews had noticed what was happening, and soon there were numerous fishing teams using their nets to harvest saleable pots: ‘Huge dishes, ornate dragon sculptures, and delicate vases were picked out of the nets and sold straight to the dealers’ (Pope 2007: 40).

More information: https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/hoi-an-shiwreck/