Ban Chiang Period Painted Round Bottomed Terracotta Jar

Both standing on a rectangular base in a wide stance, wearing conical hats, boots and black cross-over robes tied at the waist with a red belt; separately modelled heads with delicately rendered faces; both showing one raised arm (one with hand absent) and the other held at the side covered by the voluminous sleeve; repaired. 3 kg total, 33-34 cm



From a West Country, UK, collection, 1990s.

Each footed with painted blue floral motifs inside and out, blue border to upper edge. 1.38 kg total, 15 cm



Ex Nagel Auction, with official Tek Sing Treasure labels to veso. Accompanied by an illustrated information sheet about the Tek Sing shipwreck.

The Tek Sing (True Star) wreck is one of the famous recovery stories of the 20th century. Sailing from the port of Xiamen (then known as Amoy) in February 1822 the vessel Tek Sing was bound for Jakarta, Indonesia laden with porcelain goods and 1600 Chinese emigrants. The captain decided to pass through the Gaspar Strait, between the Bangka-Belitung Islands, and ran aground on a reef. The vessel sank in about 100 feet of water. The next morning, February 7, an English East Indiaman captained by James Pearl, passing through the same waters, encountered debris and some survivors and managed to rescue about 190 of the latter.

Formed as a broad, squat vessel with rounded underside and flared rim; applied herringbone texturing to the body. 198 grams, 11.1 cm



Private UK collection. Acquired in the 1980s. Property of a Cambridgeshire gentleman.