Saturday, August 8, 2009

Straits Chinese Porcelain teacups







Straits Chinese porcelain is an overglazed enameled porcelain, made in Jingdezhen China from 1900s to 1960s , for the exclusive use of the Straits Chinese community (aka peranakans) found in Malaysia and Singapore. 

 

Common characteristics of this porcelain include peonies and phoenixes.  You may also see insects, and on the borders of most straits chinese porcelain, auspicious chinese symbols.  These porcelain comes in a myriad of colors from white, green, yellow, pink, coral reds and even blue.

 

The pictures attached are straits chinese teacups.  These teacups are used for weddings or birthdays.  In the 1st pix, this elaborate teacup comes in a beautiful combination of color and design.  You will observe a phoenix in flight amidst poeny flowers.  Notice the border patterns on the exterior rim of the cup. This very rare teacup, which I had the opportunity to purchased as one pair, is so elaborate that the interior of the teacup is also decorated.  The 2nd pix shows the interior of the teacup decorated with the flowers of the 4 seasons.  The 3rd pix is another teacup with a stylized phoenix in flight on a pink background.  Some of these teacups come with a lid (gaiwan style – see pix of my blog 27 jan ’09)

 

The lasts 2 pictures are illustrations from 2 books namely, “Peranakan Chinese porcelain” by Kee Ming Yuet and “Straits Chinese porcelain” by Ho Wing Meng. 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's some beautiful teaware. Tell me, do you use Yi Xing to steep your Pu-erh tea? --Spirituality of Tea

kctan said...

Are you selling this item ?

wilson said...

no. I use them to drink tea