A large antique Chinese porcelain bowl. Ming dynasty, 1368 to 1644. Round white dish with pronounced rim. Hand-painted cobalt blue decor features flowers, foliage, and Buddhist symbols. The piece was recovered from the Binh Thaun shipwreck. Around 1608, this ill-fated vessel with its valuable cargo of mostly blue and white Swatow ware from Zhangzhou was probably headed for markets in Malaysia or Indonesia, which were well-established consumers of Chinese ceramics. An Archaeological examination and commercial recovery in 2002 brought the pieces to the surface. The pieces that were released by the government were sold at Christies Melbourne in 2004. While this example was purchased in Malaysia before the Melbourne auction, it is undoubtedly from the wreck, and was recovered and sold by the initial discoverers, the fishermen of Bihn Thuan, Vietnam. Pottery And Ceramics, Oriental Asian Decor And Tableware, Historical Collectibles.