Martaban Aquarium Basin, 1890s

Details

Description

Martaban stoneware basin or aquarium decorated with slip of plants and phoenixes, the interior lined with celadon. Southeast Asia, 19th/20th … Read more Martaban stoneware basin or aquarium decorated with slip of plants and phoenixes, the interior lined with celadon. Southeast Asia, 19th/20th century.
This basin, a style common in Peranakan homes, could be used to store water, cultivate plants, or raise fish. They were found in kitchens as well as courtyards and gardens.
A comparable example is on display at the Peranakan Museum in Singapore (formerly the Asian Civilization Museum).
Diameter 75 cm x H 34 cm
Approximately 30 kg.
Provenance: Claude de Marteau Collection
Sold with certificate of provenance.
Sent by carrier, packaged on a wooden pallet.
The Peranakans, descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, also used these Martaban jars in their daily lives. Imported via maritime trade routes, these jars were prized objects for their usefulness and durability. They were often incorporated into their homes to store provisions, a testament to the region's cultural and commercial interconnectedness. See less