Sold Ceramics
Sold Ceramics - Sold Blue and White Kangxi Period 1662-1722 - Western Shapes - Page 1
Object 2011956
Stem cup
China
c.1700
Height 75 mm (2.95 inch), diameter of rim 72 mm (2.83 inch), diameter of footring 32 mm (1.26 inch), weight 109 grams (3.84 ounce (oz.))
Stem cup on a high splayed foot with a broad, flat footring and a recessed base. Wide cup with a straight rim. Covered with underglaze light-brown. On the well of the cup four leaves and round the inner rim a zig-zag lines pattern border both in underglaze blue.
The use of monochromatic glazes for decoration of porcelain spread especially after the end of the 17th century, but their mass production was apparently short-lived., because the popularity of this type of monochrome style began to wane in the second half of the 18th century and only revived in the second half of the 19th century, apparently in connection with the larger orders of foreign merchants. Dutch collectors traditionally call this type of light brown glaze zeemleer, ' wash-leather'; in French it is known as café au lait. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.136), (Suchomel 2015, p.277)
There is little doubt that the large numbers of small stem cups and wine cups of this size were used in the East for rice wine, while those that reached Europe may have been used for gin. It is likely however, that much of this supply was used in Batavia itself and only relatively small numbers were selected by the supercargoes for Europe. (Howard 1994, pp.186-187)
The function of stem cups is not yet clear, but they may have been used for drinking genever (Dutch-gin). The shape is derived from a European glass model. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.264)
Condition: A frit to the footring and a restored chip with a connected hairline to the rim.
References:
Howard 1994, pp.186-187, cat. 214.
Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.136 & p.264
Price: Sold.
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