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630 year old fish plates
Sukhothai fish plates from the Turiang (1370) shipwreck. These plates feature a painted fish (long life) motif in the center medallion. (VERY RARE are flower motifs!) This technique of painting, with iron oxide over a slip layer, is the earliest type of underglaze painting and represents a 1,500 year old Chinese tradition. These plates are VERY RARE. Proper Sukhothai clay shows white quartz crystals which cannot be seen in modern reproductions. For more information about the Turiang shipwreck.
MING DYNASTY PORCELAIN PIECES from The Wanli (c. 1625) Shipwreck.
For more information about this shipwreck, please visit: The Wanli Shipwreck
540 year old celadon dishes recovered from the Royal Nanhai (AD. 1460) shipwreck site. They are in remarkably good condition despite their long stay on the seabed. The dishes were made at Ban Pa Yang, Sisatchanalai by immigrating potters from the famous celadon kilns in Longquan China.
Each dish will be delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
For higher quality alternatives, go to: Celadon wares
Chinese blue & white Chrysanthemum decorated bowl from the late Transitional period (AD. c. 1700) wrecksite. These bowls are from a 'wreck site' rather than a shipwreck. It is most likely that the ship hit a nearby reef, punched a hole in its hull, anchored and jettisoned the bowls in order to facilitate repair. The site did not provide any timber or other ship's structure and the bowls were not as organized as they would have been if found inside a ship cargo hold. All bowls in this group have small rim chips and a few (if noted) show very fine hairlines. All bowls are about 14 cm in diameter.
Each bowl is delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
TR-456 Chrysanthemum bowl. This bowl is the best available. Nice, clear and contrasty decoration and limited (small) rim chips. One chip is repaired. High resonance sound when tapped.
Price USD. 78.00
1,000 year old pottery
The following pieces are from the Tanjung Simpang shipwreck. This ship sunk in Sabah, East Malaysia, during the Northern Sung Dynasty (AD. 960-1127) Each artifact is therefore about 1,000 years old. To read more about this shipwreck and the limited number of artifacts available, please go to: Tanjung Simpang. All artifacts are delivered together with a Certificate of Authenticity.
WE HAVE NO MORE OF THESE 1000 YEAR OLD ARTEFACTS IN STOCK. THESE ARE THE LAST PIECES AVAILABLE
Sten is a naval architect who spent more than thirty years in Southeast Asia, primarily designing and engineering marine structures. Sten has an academics enthusiasm for ancient ceramics and has written numbers of books and lectured extensively in the subject.
An champion sailor and diver he has discovered a number of shipwreck in the South China Sea and assisted museums world-wide to exhibit and to collect meaningful ceramic collections.
Sten's company; Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd.. works with Malaysia's Department of Museums and Antiquities and can therefore offer a legal Export Permit from the Department when so required.
Sten has located number of ancient kiln sites in Thailand and in China were his shipwreck ceramics was made centuries ago. He is therefore able to offer absolute provenance on all ceramics sold via Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd. and, with good concience sign every Certificate of Authenticity supplied with all artefacts.
The maritime archaeology of Sten Sjostrand has led to major advances in the study of Asian trade and trade ceramics in Southeast Asia. His meticulous documentation of a series of nine shipwrecks from the 11th to 19th centuries reveals the early dominance of Chinese trade ceramics, a subsequent loss of the Chinese monopoly in the late 14th century when Southeast Asian ceramics entered the market, the basic parameters of the Ming gap shortages of the 14th-15th centuries, and a resurgence of Chinese wares in the 16th and 17th centuries. Just as important, Sjostrand freely shares the information from his discoveries. Researchers are welcome at his headquarters where he documents his finds and patiently answers the queries of others. A lifetime’s experience with the sea and sailing allows Sjostrand to bring new understanding to ancient ship construction, and his voluminous reading allows him to set the ships and their cargoes in historical perspective.
Dr. Roxanna M. Brown
Director.
Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum
Bangkok University, Rangsit campus
Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
Old time pottery, Chinese porcelain
and Asian pottery from marine
archeology at clearance prices.
Nanhai Marine Archeology LLC. Delaware. USA.
REST ASSURED OF PROPER AUTHENTICITY!
All types of Wanli (Ming dynasty) artifacts for sale on this page are depicted and discussed in a catalogue written by this company's principal researcher; Sten Sjostrand. For more details about the catalogue: "The Wanli Shipwreck and its Ceramic Cargo" Click here
This page shows the more affordable ceramic pieces form the shipwreck site. For higher quality pieces, please visit: Wanli: Ming dynasty porcelain wares
Each artifact is delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Tender edges , or as the Japanese more graphically described it, 'moth-eaten' edges is a technical fault in early 17th century porcelain. This effect is seen when the glaze breaks off in patches along sharp edges in a rather irregular manner and particularly common on the rims of bowls, dishes and plates. The cause is complex, but is mainly due to the physical properties of the raw materials and the varying surface tensions of the ingredients of the body and glaze. The fault was overcome in the later part of the 17th century when the potters adjusted the proportions of raw materials.
Tender edges is a commonly acceptable factor for authenticity and should not be mended, as a principle, as it adds to the provenance of the ware. The 'faking' of 'tender edges' is not possible as the edges of the broken off pieces cannot be made as sharp at the original.
These twin deer plate are made at the famous porcelain center of Jingdezhen, China. Own research at these ancient kiln sites has confirmed that this type of plates was fired at the Guanyinge kilns. These kilns are located just north of the old city zone. The deer's are always depicted below a pine tree. Some of these plates shows the common 'tender edges' which belongs to the period and provide additional authenticity.
Due to the firing technique, most of these plates shows sand grits adhering to the foot-ring
Sizes: 21 - 22cm diameter
Small bowls with unique 'turtle' design. There are two blue lines along the rim and and a double-line circle in the well exhibiting another 'turtle' motif. Some of these bowls shows limited 'tender edges'
All bowls: 9 cm diameter General view of the interior
Typical view of the reverse.
Ser. No. W-3665
This plate is among the very best of its kind. Decoration is clear with good contrast.
Price USD. 175.00
Ser. No. W-510
This plate is rather thick with little warping, smooth feeling and show nice decoration. The plate is totally intact and has very good resonance sound when tapped.
Price. USD. 175.00
Ser. No. W-6312
Plate with good nice decoration without warping. The plate is totally intact but the glaze surface deteriorated
Price. USD. 135.00
Ser. No. W-912
Nice plate with clear, blue, decoration and high resonance. The plate is rather deep which is unusual in this group
Price. USD. 145.00
Blue and white 'Turtle' bowls from the Jingdezhen kilns in China
Ser. No. W-7646
This bowl shows a deteriorated glaze surface.There is a very small, short rim chip which has been filled . Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 39.00
Ser. No. 3398
This bowl is totally intact and feature marine growth internally as well as on the exterior.
The glaze has deteriorated.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 65.00
Ser. No. 1292
This bowl is intact and shows limited marine growth. The glaze has deteriorated.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 59.00
Ser. No. 2059
This bowl is intact but shows some rim 'tender edges'. Glaze condition is good.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 85.00
Ser. No. W-16
This bowl is intact and shows reasonable good glaze condition.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 55.00
Ser. No. 5751
VINE GRAPE bowl with one plant painted on the interior. The external border shows a continuous scroll of grape and tendrils. The bowl is totally intact and free from 'frittings'.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 190.00
Ser. No. 5106
WINE GRAPE bowl with one plant painted on the interior. The external border shows a continuous scroll of grape and tendrils. The bowl shows some 'tender edges' along the rim. Glaze condition is reasonable good.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 190.00
Ser. No. 6298
WINE GRAPE bowl with one plant painted on the interior. The external border shows a continuous scroll of grape and tendrils. The bowl is totally intact and free from 'tender edges'. Glaze condition is reasonably good.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 195.00
Ser. No. 6103
This grape vine bowl is intact except for a 2mm, shallow, rim chip which has been repaired and now virtually invisible. The interior well and exterior sides shows a cluster of berries and grape spray. The grapes are symbols of good harvest, wealth, high rank and longevity. The glaze condition is very good.
Size: 12 cm diameter
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 295.00
Ser. No. 6342
This Landscape bowl is plain on the interior. The external sides shows a landscape with a lone scholar. This type of decoration is highly appreciated by Chinese collectors. The glaze has partly deteriorated. There are few very tiny chips on the rim which has been repaired and now hardly visible.
Size: 12 cm diameter
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 275.00
Ser. No. 6477
Butterfly bowl with plain interior. The external sides show four butterflies in different postures. The butterfly is an auspicious symbol for good luck and happiness and represent springtime and longevity. There is a small hairline crack which has been mended. The glaze is in reasonable good condition. Similar bowls were made at the Imperial Shuzhan kiln at Jingdezhen,
Size: 12 cm diameter
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price. USD. 285.00
Typical decoration on the reverse
All these plates shows repeated peach motifs on the cavetto. The peach is the emblem of marriage and symbol of immortality and spring time. The peach is sacred to the Daoists as they believe it grew near the palace of Hi Wang Mu.
The deer's shown below the pine tree imply 'ever-green throughout the ages' and conveys a wish for life-long vitality and health.
The deer is the emblem of longevity and said to be the only animal able to find the lingzi, the holy fungus of immortality. The deer's are often seen on these deer plates with a fungus between them with a pine tree in the background.
The pine tree is known for its endurance. So together with the deer and the fungus the plates thus carry the meaning and wishes for a long, prosperous and healthy life.
Ser. No. W-02
Plate with nice, clear decoration and good resonance sound when tapped. These is however a 4 mm shallow rim repair at 12 o'clock. This repair is now hardly visible.
Price. USD. 95.00
Ser. No. W-4156
Nice light blue decoration on a totally intact plate. It has high resonance when tapped but the glaze surface has largely deteriorated.
Price. USD. 135.00
This bowl is totally intact and shows reasonable good glaze condition. The incised decoration is well executed. There is marine growth at 3 o'clock
Ser. No. S1-106
Size.17 cm dia.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price: USD. 165.00
Olive-green glazed saucer with some glaze deterioration. The reverse shows good glaze condition. There is an original rim flaw at about 9 o'clock.The saucer is otherwise intact.
Ser. No. TS-260
Size.14 cm dia.
Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price: USD. 145.00
CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGES TO VIEW ARTIFACTS FOR SALE
When buying anything from this page you are NOT dealing with antique dealers or other middle men. You will be buying directly from a team of dedicated researchers that excavated, recovered and researched every single piece offered for sale. We encourage you to contact us by email with questions regarding your possible purchase. Write to: Sten Sjostrand
OUR GUARANTEE:
If you are not satisfied with our artifacts, delivery service or; if you obtain an expert opinion
that the artefact is not of the age stated by us, just return it and will give you full refund!
Royal Nanhai
Not all the celadon wares offered below survived the harsh marine environment. Slightly low fired, the iron oxide in the glaze crystallized on the surface and then, when in contact with salt water, slowly wear down its surface glaze. The form, profiles and decorations reveal a genuine impression of its historical significance. The celadon dishes are however as magnificent as the day they were made -540 years ago.
TR-471 Chrysanthemum bowl. Well potted with soft tone decoration and few rim chips but one fine hairline. This sample is one of the better bowls in the series.
Price USD. 39.00
Celadon bowls from the Royal Nanhai (1460) shipwreck. These bowls are all intact but shows different degree of glaze wear. They are made at Sisatchanalai by Chinese potters whom were active in the area between the 14th and 16th century.
Each bowl is delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
16th Sep. 2006
Ser. No. RN-17
14 cm diameter
Price. USD. 84.00
Ser. No. RN-814
14 cm diameter
Price. USD. 84.00
540 year old celadon dishes recovered from the Royal Nanhai (AD. 1460) shipwreck site. They are in remarkably good condition despite their long stay on the seabed. The dishes were made at Ban Pa Yang, Sisatchanalai by immigrating potters from the famous celadon kilns in Longquan China.
The base shows scars from a tubular support and often also a reddish, re-oxidized, base
Each dish will be delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity.
For higher quality alternatives, go to: Celadon wares
Celadon dish No. RN-632
Totally intact celadon dish with good glaze condition. The exterior glaze is particularily nice
with a thick glaze surface
Size: 23 cm dia.
Price USD. 145.00
Celadon dish No. RN-3058
Nice dish but shows a small, shallow chip at 9 o'clock. Otherwise the surface is 'clean' with a mattish glaze surface
Size: 24.5 cm dia
Price USD. 89.00
Sukhothai fish plate No. T-141
Although the plate lost some of its surface shine, the fish motif is still visible
Size: 23 cm dia
Price USD. 89.00
Sukhothai fish plate No. T-521
A very nice and well decorated plate. Great balance, thinly potted and well drawn fish
Size: 23.5 cm dia
Price USD. 390.00
Sukhothai fish plate No. T-68
Great plate with nice. Plate is well potted and has a nice balance
Size: 22 cm dia
Price USD. 89.00
All artifacts shown on these pages are found, excavated and recovered by our own team of divers and archaeologist. All the work from finding the shipwrecks to its excavation, research and publicity is done together with the Department of Museum, Malaysia. These search operations, excavations, research and recovery phases are financed by ourselves. On completion of the work, we are given 70% of all recovered artifacts which we are allowed to sell. This income cover our expenses (in most, but not all cases) and provide funds for further discoveries and new findings about our ancient past.
To view PICTURES and VIDEOS from our work, click here.
Diving the Tanjung Simpang shipwreck site, initially known as "Sabah One"
TR-652 Chrysanthemum bowl with few and only small rim chips. The bowl is otherwise intact.
Price USD. 48.00
LARGE celadon bowl from the Royal Nanhai (1460) shipwreck. Bowls in this group vary between 13-15 cm. in diameter. All bowls have lost their glaze surface but are otherwise totally intact. Some of these bowls has plain exterior.
USD. 24.00
CL12.
SMALL celadon bowl from the Royal Nanhai (1460) shipwreck. This group of bowls are about 10-12 cm in diameter. All bowls has lost most of their glaze surface but otherwise totally intact.
USD. 19.00
CL15.
540 year old celadon bowls from the Royal Nanhai shipwreck
THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE SURE TO BUY GENUINE ANTIQUES
Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd. was incorporated on the recommendation of the Malaysian authorities. This was done in order to formalize and to expand on the company’s researcher’s extensive knowledge of Asia’s ceramic developments and maritime trade.
The company’s researchers have been engaged in the search for historical shipwrecks for more than two decades and another decade researching maritime trade. Most of this work is concentrated to the South China Sea, a virtual highway for ancient shipping linking China to India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia in an extensive maritime trade system. This ancient trade started sometime around the 4th century and lasted well into the 19th century.
Following a successful shipwreck discovery, the company obtain a government permit to excavate the wreckage, and then carry out detailed marine archaeological procedures in recovering the artifacts, mapping the ship's remains and securing other data for future research. After each concluded project and following conservation of recovered artifacts, we search for and pinpoint ruined kiln sites and compare its wasters with the recovered ceramics until we are satisfied we located the place in which the shipwreck pottery was made centuries earlier.
As such we have precisely located a kiln sites in Sisatchanalai, northern Thailand in which our Royal Nanhai and the Nanyang shipwreck celadon ware was made around AD. 1380-1460. (See videos on: http://www.china-pottery.com/photopage.html ) Other kilns was located in Sukhothai where production wasters matched the fish and flower plates found on the Turiang and the Longquan shipwreck. These unique underglaze decorated wares was made at those exact kilns 600 years earlier! Our latest shipwreck cargo; The Wanli Shipwreck, of Chinese blue and white porcelain, was likewise pinpointed to the Guangyinge kiln site in Jingdezhen, China. (See video on: http://www.china-pottery.com/photopage.html )
Our arrangement with the Malaysian authorities is such that we finance all operations and train young Malaysian nationals (on our initiative) in maritime archaeology and related research. After giving all unique and single artifacts and thirty percent of all recovered items to the National Museum (and assisting with exhibitions of artifacts from each project) we are allowed to sell our portion of the recovery to finance future projects. The findings from ongoing research and the compilation of reports, books and catalogues are available on these pages as well as on a separate Internet site: http://www.maritimeasia.ws
Due to the unquestionable authenticity and precisely dated shipwreck pottery, many International Museums now display our shipwreck pieces as reference material.
The artifacts sold on this website are therefore legally and properly excavated and can be supplied with an export permit from the Department of Museum in Malaysia should this be required. This unique working arrangement makes us one of the few Internet sellers that sell from own excavation and issues a meaningful Certificate of Authenticity for every (numbered) piece sold.
So, if you are interested to purchase some of our Antique porcelain, old time pottery or other shipwreck artifacts from the Song dynasty, Ming porcelain or Chinese blue and white porcelain or the famous Yixing teapots, you can rest assured that every piece is excavated through proper archaeology by our own staff. We do not sell anything that is not excavated by ourselves or properly recorded and researched before offered for sale so every piece comes with the “Best possible provenance”
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO EMAIL OUR PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER; Sten Sjostrand SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR POSSIBLE PURCHASE
A site loaded with information about ancient shipwreck ceramics including; antique porcelain, old time pottery & Chinese porcelain.
Affordable antique porcelain and pottery. These are the cheapest available on the net.
Early Chinese porcelain and pottery from the South China Sea shipwrecks
OTHER INTERESTING WEBPAGES RELATED TO ANTIQUE PORCELAIN, OLD TIME POTTERY, CHINESE PORCELAIN AND OTHER MING POTTERY. ALL OF IT WITH IMPECCABLE PROVENANCE!
Nanhai Marine Archeology LLC Delaware, USA
as agents for Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd.
25 Jalan Wawasan Jaya. 26 820 Kuala Rompin. Malaysia
RN-4512. Ring-handled bottle from the Royal Nanhai (AD. 1460) shipwreck This type of bottles was made at the Ban Pa Yang kiln complex and is one of the earliest celadon products of those kilns. At the time, these kilns were operated by Chinese potters which are likely to have arrived in the area from Longquan in China. The bottle is intact except for two very small rim repairs.
This type of bottles are very RARE and impossible to find in the market place -if genuinely old. There are however other bottles which are newly made and then treated to look old. Only highly deteriorated samples remain on our shelf. This bottle will be delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity
Size; 16 cm high
price USD 295.00
Celadon dish No. RN-2696
Outstanding celadon dish with thick glaze in 'proper' celadon color. The reverse has equally nice, thick, glaze and two beautiful glaze 'droplet' hanging down form the foot ring. Although a shallow rim repair at 3 o'clock, this is one of the best celadon dishes from the Royal Nanhai
(c. 1460) shipwreck.
Size: 23 cm dia
Price USD. 245.00
Celadon dish No. RN-3502
A lightish blue colored celadon dish with nice foliated rim. The glaze, in the well as well as on the reverse, is thick and surprisingly well preserved .
Size: 23 cm dia
Price USD. 195.00
Celadon dish No. RN-3071
A deteriorated celadon dish 560 year old! Although hardly visible, the dish has two minute rim repairs at 12 and 3 o'clock. For the price, this is a very good sample of the Royal Nanhai (c.1460) shipwreck celadon's
Size: 22.5 cm dia
Price USD. 59.00
Sukhothai fish plate No. T-11
Well potted fish plate (good balance) showing a slim-bodied fish motif in the well
Size: 23 cm dia
Price USD. 125.00
Typical view of the reverse
TR-396 Chrysanthemum bowl. Intact bowl with crispy & clear decoration makes this bowl one of the better samples in the serie.
Price USD. 39.00
TR-257 Chrysanthemum bowl. Nice bowl with little warping. There is howevver a small, short hailine. One rim chip is filled.
Price USD. 48.00
TR-559 Chrysanthemum bowl with nice and clear blue decorations. one small, filled, rim chip.
Price USD. 48.00
Ser. No. W-08
Nicely drawn (contrasty) decoration on a totally intact plate. The plate has an unusually high resonance sound when tapped. The glaze surface is intact, smooth and satin.
Price. USD. 165.00
Ser. No. W-6959
A totally intact plate with little warping. Decoration is clear and crispy despite some glaze losses. Resonance is very high! There is a seashell in the front of the plate and other marine growth on the reverse.
Price. USD. 125.00
Ser. No. W-694
A nice plate with clear motifs but where the glaze surface has plenty of pin-holes. Totally intact it is still a nice Ming plate from the Wanli period
Price. USD. 95.00
