Medallion 1686
This Shou Lao (riding a crane) medallion is the very best medallions available. The motif is well drawn and contrasty. It shows the six character apocryphal reign mark of emperor Chenghua (1465-1487) in the base.
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
11.3 cm diameter
Medallion 1801
A very good quality medallion with good, thick glaze condition showing various symbols. These motifs, when seen together, express wishes for a long life and blessings for vibrant youth, healthiness and long life. The condition of this medallion is one of the best in the Wanli cargo.
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
Size: 17.5 cm diameter
Medallion 1714
This medallion show a grasshopper on a rock below a flower arrangement. To the Chinese these motifs mean: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and long life. Glaze condition is satin, the renering is well executed.
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Size: 13 cm in diameter
Ming Dynasty Porcelain Shards from The Wanli (AD. c. 1625) Shipwreck
Medallion 1744
A good quality medallion showing a bird on a rock below a flower arrangement. These motifs express wishes for a long life which, to the Chinese means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and long life. Glaze surface is thick with a satin finish.
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Size: 13 cm diameter
Sten has spent more than forty years in Southeast Asia designing and engineering various marine structures. His interest in Asia's pottery and porcelain eventually lead to his search and excavation of numbers of ancient shipwrecks. As a championship sailor Sten has extensive knowledge and interest in ancient maritime trade, ships designs and construction. It is these interests and gained knowledge that is the base for all his books and extensive lecturing.
Sten's company; Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd. works with Malaysia's Department of Museums and Antiquities and can therefore offer legally excavated artifacts from these shipwrecks.
In addition to working with recovering artifacts, 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 conscience sign every Certificate of Authenticity supplied with the artifacts.
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
During the excavation phase of the Wanli shipwreck, about 7,000 pieces of porcelain pieces were registered. Only those pieces which retained more than 50% of its original form was registered while all other pieces was considered "shards". From the 7,000 registered pieces, there were less than 2,000 totally intact pieces with many of them showing glaze deterioration and other defects. In addition to registered artifacts 9,083 kilo "shards" were recovered. This weight was represented by less than 50% intact pieces (to avoid double registration), broken, fragmented and pulverized pieces. These "shards" was then separated into respective types, weighted and compared with the weight of an intact counterpart to find the total number of porcelains originally loaded onboard the ship. It was thus calculated that the total cargo originally consisted of more than 37,000 pieces. Most of the damage to the cargo is believed to have been caused by an fire followed by an explosion which is likely to have been caused by an attacking Dutch force. The fire could also have been set by the Portuguese crew trying to avoid a Dutch capture.
Many of the broken plates with intact center medallions, have since been trimmed and are now available for sale on this page.
Each one of these center medallions has been registered and now displaying its respective serial number on a sticker:
For information about The Wanli Shipwreck or to order the full catalogue about its archaeology and porcelain: The Wanli Shipwreck and its Porcelain Cargo,
TRIMMED CENTER MEDALLIONS FROM KRAAK DISHES, BOWLS AND KRAAK PLATES
(All pieces are from the Wanli (AD. 1625) shipwreck site)
To fully understand and appreciate the meaning of these medallion motifs, please Click here
REST ASSURED OF PROPER AUTHENTICITY
When ordering from these pages you are dealing directly with a team of dedicated researchers that excavated, recovered and researched every single artifact offered for sale. We encourage you to contact our Sten Sjostrand with any questions which you may have
OUR GUARANTEE:
If you are not satisfied with our artifacts, delivery service or; if you obtain an expert opinion
that a delivered item is not of the age stated by us, just return it and we will issue full refund.
THE RECOVERY OF "SHARDS"
Click here to see how tonnes of broken plates, dishes and bowls was recovered together with fragmented and pulverized porcelain. To view other videos and pictures about our work, click here
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.ming-wrecks.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.ming-wrecks.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 deliver a meaningful Certificate of Authenticity with every artifact issued with a serial number.
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
OTHER INTERESTING WEBPAGES RELATED TO ANTIQUE PORCELAIN, OLD TIME POTTERY, CHINESE PORCELAIN AND OTHER MING POTTERY. ALL OF IT WITH IMPECCABLE PROVENANCE!
Medallion 1758
A RARE, (reserve painted) peony dish medallion. The peony is the queen of flowers and the flower of riches and honor. It also symbolizes wealth and distinction. This medallion is painted with good contrasty and masterly drawn motif inside a white border.
Shipping weight: 0.50 kg
14 cm diameter
Medallion 1706
This center medallion shows a duck below a lotus arrangement. The motifs signifies blessings for a fruitful marriage, since a marriage proposal was made by a man sending a duck to a woman's family as a present. Acceptance of the duck meant acceptance of the proposal. The lotus, shown in different stages of growth, symbolizes purity and abundant offspring's.
Glaze condition is very good but there are some kiln grit in the glaze surface.
Shipping weight: 0.55 kg
Size: 15cm diameter
Medallion 1774
This medallion shows a grasshopper on a rock among a flower arrangement. To the Chinese, the grasshopper is the symbol of good luck and abundance. The grasshopper also express wishes for a long life which means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and a long life.
This medallion is painted with a fine brush cobalt oxide with many shades of blue. The glaze surface is satin and smooth.
Shipping weight: 0.40
13 cm diameter
These medallions shows a pair of deer's in a landscape with pine tree and fungus. Deer and pine represent 'ever-green through the ages'. The design conveys a wish for life-long vitality and health. Pine is well-known for its tough endurance and therefore symbolizes long life. The deer stands as a symbol for 'happiness and prosperity' because the word for 'deer' is homophone of the word for happiness and prosperity. Shipping weight: 0.40 kg
Medallion 1720 Medallion 1703 Medallion 1712 Medallion 1790
Size: 12.6 cm diameter Size: 13.4 cm diameter Size: 8.,5 cm in diameter Size: 8 cm diameter Contrasty Fungus motif
Contrasty Fungus motif These hand painted medallions represents Ming dynasty painting which, as with all Chinese art, is both traditional and symbolic. As such, the Ming dynasty porcelain decorators always included an auspicious meaning and promising omen in their designs. Individual motifs with acceptable popular symbolism are combined to give more complex messages that often rely on homophones and on words that harmonize in the Chinese language. These Ming dynasty messages in the designs are nonetheless universal wishes for such things as happiness and long life or portrayals of Daoist ideas.To read more about Chinese Chinese art-history.
To fully appreciate the painted motifs on below "shards" and center medallions: Click here.
Medallion W-1562
This broken kraak plate shows a single butterfly among a flower arrangement.The painting is well executed in high contrast with rich cobalt oxide.
Shipping weight: 0.90kg
Medallion: 18 cm dia not incl. the rim
The below Shou Lao medallions are cut from the bottom of large character bowl on which there are four painted cartouches on the exterior, each depicting two of the Eight Immortals. These cartouches are separated by repeated shou (longevity) characters. The medallion offered here feature Shou Lao, the god of longevity, seen riding a crane above crested waves.
Medallion 1745
Another duck on a rock below a lotus arrangement. The motifs collectively express wishes for vibrant youth and healthiness and a long life. The painting is made with a contrasty cobalt oxide covered with a good, thick satin glaze.
Size: 13 cm diameter
Shipping weight: 0.40 kg
About apocryphal marks:
The 17 th century Portuguese and Dutch buyers required porcelain wares to have markings of some kind in the base. A letter from the Dutch headquarters in Batavia to their office in Taiwan request in 1610: "It should be seen to that all these afore-noted kinds of porcelain have under the bottom a blue seal, for about this they (the buyers) are very particular."
Since the decorators were not allowed to paint the present emperors reign mark on export wares, they painted the mark of an previous emperor. Such marks are very common and always indicating and earlier production time. The present emperors' reign mark could only be applied to imperial wares ordered by the palace
Medallion 1813
This medallion shows wild ducks which signifies blessings for a fruitful marriage, since a marriage proposal was made by a man sending a duck to a woman's family as a present. Acceptance of the duck meant acceptance of the proposal. The lotus, shown in different stages of growth, symbolizes purity and abundant offspring's. This medallion is painted in a soft tone blue cobalt The glaze surface is good and smooth.
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
17 cm diameter
Medallion 1819
This broken kraak plate medallion shows a duck on a rock below a lotus flower. There is also an approaching duck. The decorations are well drawn, crispy and painted with a contrasty cobalt oxide. This is the only duck motif we can remember where the duck is facing right. All other ducks and birds are seen facing left. A left handed decorator?
Medallion is 18 cm in dia -not including the rim.
Shipping weight: 1.0 kg
Medallion XXX
A design with wild ducks at a lotus pond signifies blessings for a fruitful marriage, since a marriage proposal was made by a man sending a duck to a woman's family as a present. Acceptance of the duck meant acceptance of the proposal. The lotus, shown in different stages of growth, symbolizes purity and abundant offspring's by recalling the common phrase "from the lotus comes noble offspring"
13 cm diameter.Price: USD. 60.00
Medallion 1814
This lotus medallion is cut from the base of a large flower bowl. The Lotus flower symbolize health and a long life. Good glaze and contrasty decoration.
Shipping weight: 0.50 kg
Size: 9 cm diameter
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Throughout the history of art in China, decorative motifs were applied not exclusively for their aesthetic value but also their symbolic implications. Daoism, the main religious philosophy of the time, dwelled on issues of harmony of man and the universe. Images of nature were widely featured during this period.
The natural world is celebrated with images of peonies signifying spring, the lotus for summer, the Chrysanthemum for autumn and Prunus for winter. Landscapes depicted on porcelain are inhabited by deer, birds, butterflies and crickets. There is also a fondness for highly symbolic images of dragons, phoenix and cranes.
Favorites in the Daoist pantheon are the Eight Immortals. The eight-paneled kraak plates (with scalloped flat rims) are decorated with images of motifs traditionally associated with the Immortals - fans, castanets, fly whisk and the double gourd bottle. Buddhist symbols such as sacred scrolls, the Swastika and the Artemisia leaf are also featured.
Medallion 1754
A nice medallion showing a bird on a rock below a flower arrangement. These motifs express wishes for a long life which, to the Chinese, means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and long life. Glaze surface is thick and in reasonably good condition. There is however some kiln grits aound 7 o'clock
Size: 13.5 cm diameter
Shipping weight: 0.40 kg
Medallion 1726
This quality medallion show a duck on a rock below a lotus flower. There is another duck approaching. These motifs signifies blessings for a fruitful marriage, since a marriage proposal was made by a man sending a duck to a woman's family as a present. Acceptance of the duck meant acceptance of the proposal. The lotus, shown in different stages of growth, symbolizes purity and abundant offspring's.The medallion decoration crispy and drawn by and experienced hand. Outlines are well executed and the fill-ins are nicely shaded in different tones.
Size: 17.5centimeters
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
Medallion 1709
This RARE and high quality dish medallion shows peony flowers painted in 'reserve'. The overall condition is good, glaze surface is smooth and glossy. The painting is crispy and very high contrasty cobalt blue. All decorations are well executed. This medallion is one of the best available.
Shipping weight: 0.50 kg
Size: 14.5 cm diameter
Medallion 1668
Auspicious symbols conveying wished for a long and prosperous life.
85 mm diameter
Medallion 15
11.5 mm diameter
This Lotus flower symbolize health and a long life. Good glaze and contrasty decoration.
Medallion 1768
38 mm diameter
Medallion 1766
46 mm diameter
These Chinese characters read: Da Ming Chenghua Nian Zhi " Made during the Chenghua reign of the Great Ming dynasty" (1465-1487)
Medallion 1769
43 mm diameter
Medallion 1713
This lotus medallion is cut from the base of a large flower bowl. The Lotus flower symbolize health and a long life. Good glaze and contrasty decoration.
Shipping weight: 0.50 kg
12.5 cm diameter
Medallion 1713
Shou Lao (riding a crane) medallion of good quality. This medallion shows a well drawn and contrasty motif. There is a small missing part at about 2 o'clock. The base show the apocryphal (six character) reign mark of emperor Chenghua (1465-1487)
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
Size: 12 cm dia
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Medallion 1716
A nicely cut medallion from a small kraak plate. There is a bird on a rock below a flowerr arrangement which to the Chinese means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and long life.
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Size: 12.5 cm diameter
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Nanhai Marine Archeology Sdn. Bhd.
(The post office has a minimum shipping charge of 1 Kilo. You may therefore add a second, lighter, medallion to your order without additional cost.)
(The post office has a minimum shipping charge of 1 Kilo. You may therefore add a second, lighter, medallion to your order without additional cost.)
Typical reign mark
Medallion 1698
A RARE, good quality (reserve painted) peony dish medallion. The overall condition is good, glaze surface is smooth and satin. The painting is crispy cobalt blue. All decorations are well executed and in good contrast.
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Size: 13 cm in diameter
Medallion 1217
Large character bowl which show repeated 'Shou' (long life) characters and four of the Eight immortals on the exterior. The rendering is masterly executed in high contrasts. The base show the six character apocryphal reign mark of emperor Chenghua that ruled China between 1464 and 1487.
Various seashells and other marine growth confirms its long stay on the seabed.
Shipping weight: 1.50 kg
Size: 22 cm in diameter
Medallion-1817
This medallion shows a grasshopper with a butterfly approaching. These motifs express wishes for a long life which, to the Chinese, means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and long life. There are some glaze flaw in the surface.
Size: 17 centimeter
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
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Note that the post office charge a minimum 1 Kilo shipping weight. If you order a small piece you can add another small piece without additional shipping cost
Medallion 25
There were very few medallions in the Wanli cargo decorated with traditional symbols. This is one of the best such medallion. These motifs, when seen together, express wishes for a long life and blessings for vibrant youth, healthiness and long life. The glaze surface is smooth and satin.
Size: 18.5 centimeters
Shipping weight: 0.75 kg
Medallion 1700
An well decorated medallion showing a pair of quail birds (the lovebird) below a flower arrangement.
The quail express wishes for a long life which means: chum gung Chang shout referring to the theme: 'spring time and longevity'. All this together connotes blessings for vibrant youth and healthiness and a long life. The glaze surface is mattish.
Shipping weight: 0.40 kg
13 cm diameter
Medallion 1722xt.
This Peony medallion is one of the very best in the Wanli cargo. In addition to well executed renering, it has a blue border which encapsulates the flowers.
Shipping weight 0.50 kg
Sie: 14.5 cm
Medallion 1812
Another medallion with bird in the Spring motif. This sample is in very good condition and show well executed renering. The contrast of the painting is good and the glaze suface thick and satin.
Size: 12.5 cm diameter
Shipping weight: 0.40 kg
Medallion 1717
Another rare motif in a very good quality medallion. There were very few motifs in the Wanli cargo where the flower vase, inside a fence was used.
By placing the vase inside the fence, the decorator express wishes for inner peace and tranquility. The glaze condition of the medallion is good with a thick covering in satin finish. There are some marine growth on the reverse -another provenance factor!
Size: 12.5 centimeters
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Medallion 1718
Another duck medallion with the famous Spring motifs.Here it's represented by a single duck in a seascape. Rendering is in very high contrast and the glaze condition is among the very best in the Wanli cargo.
Shipping weight: 0.45 kg
Size: 13.5 cm diameter
