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Wine cup

Wine cup

  • Place of origin:

    Vietnam (found)
    China (made)

  • Museum number:

    FE.179-2007

  • Gallery location:

    World Ceramics, room 145, case 44, shelf 3

  • Image in copyright

This object was salvaged from the wreck of a trade ship thought to be a Chinese junk, dating to approximately 1725. This date corresponds to the reign of the Kangxi emperor (1662-1722) of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The wreck was discovered off the Southern coast of Vietnam in 1998 near Ca Mau. The wreck is now commonly referred to as the Ca Mau wreck.
The ship was loaded with Chinese porcelain of various designs for export to South Asia and Europe. This object is one of a group of 182 pieces of porcelain acquired by the V&A from this wreck.

Physical description

Painted in underglaze cobalt blue with a design of a cricket among grasses and flowers with a four character mark to the base.

Place of Origin

Vietnam (found)
China (made)

Marks and inscriptions

Underglaze blue four character mark to the base: 'Ruo Shen zhen zang'. 'The treasured collection of Ruo Shen'

Dimensions

Diameter: 7 cm

Object history note

This object was salvaged from the wreck of a trade ship, probably a Chinese junk dating to approximately 1725. This date corresponds to the reign of the Yongzheng emperor (1723-1735) of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The wreck was discovered off the Southern coast of Vietnam in 1998 near Ca Mau. The wreck is now commonly referred to as the Ca Mau wreck. By 1999 a total of 51,500 pieces had been recovered form the wreck.

It was loaded with Chinese porcelain of various designs for export to South Asia and Europe. This object is one of a group of 182 pieces of porcelain acquired by the V&A from this wreck. These objects were sold through Sotheby's, Amsterdam at sale AM0967 'Made in Imperial China: 76,000 pieces of export porcelain from the Ca Mau shipwreck, Circa 1725' which took place in 2007.

Historical significance: This object provides useful information about trade, trade routes, design and markets for Chinese ceramics during the 18th century.

Descriptive line

Blue and white porcelain wine cup

Production Note

This object was salvaged from the wreck of a trade ship, probably a Chinese junk dating to approximately 1725. This date corresponds to the reign of the Yongzheng emperor (1723-1735) of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The wreck was discovered off the Southern coast of Vietnam in 1998 near Ca Mau. The wreck is now commonly referred to as the Ca Mau wreck. By 1999 a total of 51,500 pieces had been recovered form the wreck.

It was loaded with Chinese porcelain of various designs for export to South Asia and Europe. This object is one of a group of 182 pieces of porcelain acquired by the V&A from this wreck. These objects were sold through Sotheby's, Amsterdam at sale AM0967 'Made in Imperial China: 76,000 pieces of export porcelain from the Ca Mau shipwreck, Circa 1725' which took place in 2007.

Materials

Glaze; Ceramic; Cobalt

Techniques

Painted; Glazed; Fired

Subjects depicted

Flower; Grass; Cricket

Categories

Ceramics

Production Type

Mass produced

Collection code

EAS

Qr_O173190
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