A BLUE AND WHITE 'FIVE CARP' DISH, ANNAM, 15TH-16TH CENTURY Decorated to the interior with a finely painted double carp motif at the center within a triple circle, surrounded by three carps issuing sprays, all beneath the everted rim decorated with a band of scrolls within double lines. The exterior with five panels depicting ruyi shaped clouds. The food left unglazed to reveal the burnt orange ware.

Provenance: From a German private collection.
Condition: Excellent condition with significant old wear and some manufacturing flaws, including pitting, black and brown spots, warping, kiln marks, glaze pooling and recesses, firing cracks, and few minuscule chips to the foot. The plate does not produce a sound when struck.

Weight: 1,068 g
Dimensions: Diameter 32.2 cm

From 1436 to 1465, China's Ming dynasty abruptly ceased trade with the outside world, creating a commercial vacuum that allowed the kilns in Annam to almost monopolize the export markets for blue-and-white ceramics for several decades. Wares of this era have been found all over Asia, from Japan, throughout Southeast Asia, to the Middle East, and Eastern Africa. Annam was the name of the southernmost province of China after the Tang dynasty, situated in today's central region of Vietnam.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related blue and white stoneware dish with carps, dated to the 15^th century, Vietnam, in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 2009,3014.6.



十五至十六世紀安南青花五鯉盤
折沿，弧壁，圈足。盤內開光飾以青花雙鯉圖，外圍有三條鯉魚卷葉紋，盤沿卷葉紋。外壁部有四幅開光如意紋。圈足未上釉，成桔色。

來源：德國私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好，有明顯的磨損和一些製造缺陷，包括點蝕、黑色和褐色斑點、翹曲、窯痕、釉池和凹槽、燒製裂紋，足部有微小磕損。敲擊盤時不會發出聲音。

重量：1,068 克
尺寸：直徑 32.2 厘米

1436年至1465年間，中國明朝停止對外貿易，使安南的窯業幾十年來幾乎壟斷了青花陶瓷的出口市場。從日本到整個東南亞，再到中東和東非，整個亞洲都發現了這個時代的器皿。安南是繼唐朝之後中國最南端的省名，位於今天的越南中部地區。

文獻比較：
比較一件相近十五世紀越南青花鯉魚紋盤，收藏於大英博物館，編號2009,3014.6。