Swatow is a common name for a group of mainly late Ming Dynasty export porcelain from China intended for the South East Asian market.
Swatow is not a ware it is generally coarse, crudely potted and often under fired. Rather, it is a class known through traders and collectors who marketed and appreciated it outside China. Not all Swatow types were produced simultaneously.
Through their faintly incised decorations and cobalt blue glazes, the monochromes rate chronologically earliest, most typical of the Ming-Jiajing reign (1522-1566).
The Ming-Wanli reign (1573-1620) probaly influenced most patterns in white slip, specially those which are coincidental on blue and on iron-brown glazes, as well as the rare Swatow items which combine underglaze blue with polychrome overglaze decorations.
The blue and white types may be referred to a more extended time which probably included the late 15th century and went on until about 1700
The name may be claimed to be misleading as the exact location of the kilns are as yet largely unidentified. However, they are generally thought to be located in the vicinity of what was formerly known as the port of Swatow (now Shantou) on the northern coast of the Guangdong region.
Sources:
Wikipedia.
Harrisson, Barbara 1979. Swatow in het Princessehof (Leeuwarden)
Object 2010354
Dish
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: (1580-1640)
Large dish on a footring with flaring sides, ridged and out-turned at the edge and a unglazed base, polychrome decorated with overglaze iron-red and green, black and turquoise overglaze enamels, the brilliant turquoise shade which compliments green makes Swatow polychromes distinctive.
In the centre flowering peonies in red, black and green. The stem of the peony, and a pheasant perching on it, are in turquoise over black. Around the cavetto are four floral medallions matching the centre, separated by lozenge diapers and roundels in red and green. The exterior is plain.
Porcelains decorated in red and green enamels gained popularity throughout Asia, during the 16th century. All polychrome Swatow types follow a red and green colour scheme.
The dish is fitted in an old, custom made, brass frame.
Dimensions:
Height: 84 mm (3.31 inch)
Diameter: 410 mm (16.14 inch)
Diameter of footring: 90 mm (3.54 inch)
Condition: Three hairlines and some glaze chips to the rim.
References:
B. Harrisson, Swatow in het Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1979, p.121, figure 240.
Price: € 1.499 - $ 2.087 - £ 1.306
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201068
Dish
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: The end of the 16th century / first half 17th century
Dish on a footring with a straight rim, decorated in underglaze blue.
In the centre two standing phoenixes facing and overlapping one another flanked by peony. The background is completely filled with leaf scrolls and leaves. On the interior rim five foliated medallions each filled with flowers, in between the medallions a concentric waves decoration. The exterior rim and the base are not decorated.
The plate was most likely part of a shipwrecks cargo. It is not known of which ship. All the glaze has worn off due to submergence in sea water for centuries.
Dimensions:
Height: 50 mm (1.97 inch)
Diameter: 268 mm (10.56 inch)
Diameter of footring: 120 mm (4.73 inch)
Condition: Perfect but without glaze.
Price: € 299 - $ 412 - £ 259
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201045
Dish
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: The end of the 16th century / first half 17th century
Dish on a footring with a partially glazed base and a straight rim, decorated in underglaze blue.
A standing phoenix, a peony to his left and bamboo on his right. The cavetto has four oval medallions in diamond shaped frames filled with rosettes and separated by tripartite horizontals, a parody of Trigrams. Below the straight edge is a band of key-fret under blue. The reverse is undecorated.
Dimensions:
Height: 48 mm (1.89 inch)
Diameter: 239 mm (9.42 inch)
Diameter of footring: 130 mm (5.12 inch)
Condition: Two chips to the rim, the liprim has been smoothened, on the base a red number "7" has been painted.
References:
B. Harrisson, Swatow in het Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1979, p.68, figure 114.
Price: € 149 - $ 206 - £ 130
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201044
Dish
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: Jiajing period (1522-1566)
Dish on a footring with a flattened rim and foliated edge, decorated in underglaze blue.
In the centre a ch'i-lin, its head facing the moon with stylised emblems and clouds, encircled by a double band. The cavetto is left blank. On the liprim a band in which characters are sketched in between a criss-cross pattern.
Dimensions:
Height: 30 mm (1.18 inch)
Diameter: 185 mm (7.29 inch)
Diameter of footring: 100 mm (3.94 inch)
Condition: Perfect, with very fine crazing to the glaze.
References:
B. Harrisson, Swatow in het Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1979, p.33, figure 39-42.
Price: € 199 - $ 274 - £ 174
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 2010258
Dish
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: Jiajing period (1522-1566)
Dish on a footring with a glazed base, decorated in underglaze blue.
In the centre a qilin, its head facing the moon with stylised emblems and clouds, encircled by a double band. The cavetto is left blank. On the in- and exterior liprim three antiquities with tassels.
On the exterior wall a paper label that reads: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) Unearthed from ancient Chinese gravesites in Tigba-wan, ?liolo, Philippines, (during the 1970's)
On the base a paper label with the text: P100 is xs64.6 ( most likely the position were the dish was found on the gravesite.
Dimensions:
Height: 33 mm (1.18 inch)
Diameter: 180 mm (7.29 inch)
Diameter of footring: 85 mm (3.94 inch)
Condition: Perfect, with fine crazing to the glaze.
Price: € 199 - $ 274 - £ 174
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201067
Dish
Provenance: China
Dating: Wanli period (1573-1620)
Dish on a footring with a glazed base and a flattened rim, decorated in underglaze blue.
In the centre a "Fenghuang", the Chinese phoenix, standing in a landscape on rocks, around this decoration a thin band of scrolls. The cavetto is left blank. On the interior rim a band in which is drawn alternatingly a flower, lozenge, cash and a artemisia leaf, precious Buddhist objects tied with ribbons. On the exterior wall twice a long stem with three tiny peaches with in between a small dot. On the exterior rim three stems with a small flower.
Dimensions:
Height: 26 mm (1.02 inch)
Diameter: 142 mm (5.59 inch)
Diameter of footring: 73 mm (2.88 inch)
Condition: Some glaze wearing to the rim.
Price: € 299 - $ 412 - £ 259
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 2010277
Storage Jar / Martavan
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: 2nd half 16th century
An ovoid-shaped storage jar / martavan on a footring with a partially glazed base, a short neck, rounded lip and four vertical strap-handles placed around the shoulder, decorated in underglaze blue.
Decorated around the neck with swirls and dashes, on the shoulder a band of lotus leaves and on its belly two rather burlesque dragons between cloud-scrolls and segmented waves.
Dimensions:
Height: 265 mm (10.43 inch)
Diameter: 233 mm (9.17 inch)
Diameter of mouthrim: 80 mm (3.15 inch)
Diameter of footring: 140 mm (5.51 inch)
Condition: Crazing to the glaze, a 25 mm (0.98 inch) chip to the outer footring, a 70 mm (2.76 inch) chip to the inner footring and an 8 mm (0.32 inch) chip to a strap-handle.
References:
B. Harrisson, Swatow in het Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1979, p.39, figure 53.
Price: € 749 - $ 1.043 - £ 653
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201058
Jar
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: The end of the 16th century / first half 17th century
Jar with a wide, inset a glazed base and an angled shoulder, decorated in underglaze blue and a later fitted florally engraved copper neck.
Around the shoulder a continuous band lotus leaves, on the waist a continuous floral scroll.
Dimensions:
Height (including copper neck) : 69 mm (3.35 inch)
Diameter: 87 mm (3.03 inch)
Diameter mouthrim: 38 mm (0.79 inch)
Diameter of footring: 54 mm (2.36 inch)
Condition: Fine crazing to the glaze.
Price: € 149 - $ 206 - £ 130
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 201062
Jar
Provenance: (Southeast) China, Swatow
Dating: The end of the 16th century / first half 17th century
Jar with a wide, inset and glazed base, nearly vertical sides and an angled shoulder, decorated in underglaze blue.
Around the shoulder a continuous band of ruyi heads, on the waist four panels filled with a spotted deer, rocks and plants.
Dimensions;
Height: 85 mm (3.35 inch)
Diameter: 85 mm (3.35 inch)
Diameter mouthrim: 25 mm (0.98 inch)
Diameter of footring: 70 mm (2.76 inch)
Condition: Fine crazing to the glaze, a chip to the inner footring, a firing flaw to the rim and to the body and at some places glaze flaws were the glaze did not catch on to the body of the jar during the firing process.
References:
B. Harrisson, Swatow in het Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1979, pp. 81-83, figure 153.
Price: € 199 - $ 274 - £ 174
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
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