Plate - Een Chinees blauw-wit porseleinen bord, gemerkt 聚順美玉堂製 Jingdezhen, late Qing-dynastie - Porcelain

385 grams

A Chinese blue-and-white porcelain plate, marked 聚順美玉堂製
Jingdezhen, from the late Qing dynasty to the early Republic, circa 1875–1915.
Possibly originating from a maritime cargo

The plate has a round shape with a lightly raised wall, made of white porcelain and decorated in underglaze blue with a central medallion of blooming peony and chrysanthemum — symbols of prosperity and longevity. The composition is framed by a narrow floral border and a broad lobed panel border with alternating bouquets of flowers, stylized leaves, and geometric patterns, in various shades of blue.

The back is also decorated with floral motifs in eight panels and bears within a double circle a six-character hallmark in underglaze blue: 「聚順美玉堂製」 (*Ju Shun Mei Yu Tang Zhi*), to be translated as 'Made for the Hall of Obedience and Splendid Jade'. This inscription refers to a private pavilion name and was often used on quality porcelain produced in Jingdezhen in the late 19th century, following the 18th-century Kangxi style.

Based on stylistic features, the brand, and traces of weathering, it is likely that this board belonged to a cargo intended for maritime trade. The presence of edge chips with softly worn edges, locally matte glaze, and light surface oxidation may indicate long-term storage under humid conditions, such as in ship cargoes. Although no direct wreck origin has been confirmed, these traces resemble findings from known shipwrecks like the Tek Sing and Desaru.

Diameter 21 cm, height 3.5 cm.
Condition: Chips at the edge, light glaze wear, superficial weathering possibly due to underwater preservation; no visible hairline cracks or restorations.

Literature: similar plates with this brand and style have been found at auctions by Bonhams (London, 2014) and Dreweatts (UK, 2024), as well as in Chinese sources about Guangxu period export porcelain.