Exhibition 19th - 28th September 2003
@ Caspar Dunstan's gallery
82 Shepherd's Bush Road W6 7PH
Tel: 020 7603 6111

"Although they were for everyday use, many of them are beautiful. Most people know the decorated Ming dynasty ceramics (1369 - 1644), but single-colour pieces from the earlier Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties are less familiar. For my taste they are more attractive, with their pure forms and exquisite colouring."

"Even less well-known are the Vietnamese and Siamese wares that emerged after 1390, when the first Ming Emperor issued an edict drastically limiting exports from China. Blue and white jarlets from Annam (Vietnam) and the curious covered pots from Sisatchanalai in Thailand were exported to exploit the gap left by the slowdown of the Chinese trade."

"We know their dates to be approximately 1400 to 1550 AD because the Ming Emperor's edict marks the beginning of the industry and the trade tailed off in the mid-1500s. Before then, tribespeople regarded glazed ceramics with awe. Even today, you can find 1,000 year old Chinese jars in the longhouses of Dayak tribes in Borneo that are treasured as heirlooms."

"You can see similar pieces on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum They make a remarkable contrast to the coarse pottery that was being made in Europe at the time - it wasn't until much later that we learned the secrets of making Chinese ceramics."

Although the rarest pieces can set you back tens of thousands of pounds, you can buy delightful antique bowls, jars and dishes for as little as fifty pounds each.