Hi
My mother showed me a bowl that she recently picked up from her basement, and that she had forgotten about until she found it today. It is from the inheritance of my Dutch great-grandparents, and has been more than likely been in the family since at least 1900.
Some of my ancestors were involved in the Swedish East India Company, but I don't know whether this bowl has anything to do with that.
From what I found on the internet, I conclude that this is was made for the export market (given that it had no marks)?
I have not the faintest idea what the drawing in middle is meant to represent, or whether it's a purely abstract/decorative depiction.
I would be very grateful if someone could may be tell me more about this bowl. Is it actually Chinese? and what from what era does it date? Thank you!
picture from the side.
hope that gives you an idea
Kraak porcelain from the late Ming dynasty. They call this type of bowl "klapmut".
http://www.chinese-antique-porcelain.com/kraak-porcelain.html
Thanks Peter! Much appreciated.
I have googled Kraak and Klapmuts bowls. and immediately stumbled on one, that looks exactly like ours. The design and the shape are almost identical, safe for the design in the middle.
Does this mean that these bowls were produced in the same workshop?
http://www.antiques.co.uk/antique/Good-Chinese-late-Ming-Kraak-klapmuts-bowl-with-bird-on-rock-Wanli-c1
Fascinating stuff! Going to read more on this subject.
Dealer's sites are not reliable sources of information. Try sites like the Prinzessehof Museum in the NL, etc. for more information.
An image search will allow you to find a similar decoration as yours, I think. It is fairly common.
This is assumed to have been made in Jingdezhen, but which kiln specifically is unknown. Already in the distant past did JDZ have dozens or hundreds of individual kilns.