Teapot

The Hoi An Wreck
By 1500, kilns in northern Vietnam were producing vast quantities of high-quality blue-and-white ceramics for export. Vietnamese wares of this period have been found from Japan to Turkey, but the primary market for these ceramics was Southeast Asia. All of the items in this case were excavated from a shipwreck found off the coast of Vietnam near the city of Hoi An. It is believed this ship originated in Siam (now known as Thailand) and was one of many vessels sailing between that country and the north coast of Vietnam. Much of the cargo may have been destined for Indonesia, where similar objects have been found. Excavation of the vessel yielded over a quarter-million items. The skill of the artists can be seen in the wide variety of wares produced as well as in the range of motifs-from floral to fantastic.

Chinese Ceramics for Asian Markets
For more than a thousand years, China has been exporting large quantities of ceramics to other Asian countries, and the trade in pottery and porcelain has been an important component of the world economy. Some areas, such as the islands of Indonesia, did not have large-scale ceramics industries of their own. Others, such as Japan, Persia, and Siam (now known as Thailand), had such industries but still wanted Chinese wares, some of which were technically superior to most of their locally made wares. Merchants and suppliers learned early on that they could sell more of their products by customizing them for the needs and tastes of various foreign markets. For instance, Persia would buy large plates on which to serve dishes such as pilaf, and Siam would buy teapots decorated by the Chinese with Thai designs.