Qing Dynasty Kangxi Period Vung Tau Shipwreck Blue Underglazed White Porcelain Double Spouted Cruet W/Artemisia Leaf Mark - This amazing piece is a porcelain cruet from the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty. This wine vessel is of rare form, with a double spouted globular body which rests on a short flaring foot. The jug is densely decorated in a vibrant blue underglaze with an elaborate floral motif and scholar having tea. According to our seller, this piece was recovered from the Vung Tau shipwreck, which sank around 1690 off of the coast of Vietnam. The wreck was discovered in 1986 and soon local divers had pulled a large number of porcelain pieces from the vessel. Eventually these activities were stopped by the Vietnamese government, which arranged for commercial salvager Sverker Hallstrom to excavate the wreck. There were approx. 48,000 pieces recovered from the site, some of which went to antique dealers in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore before being halted by the Vietnamese government. Several pieces were chosen for Vietnamese museums before the remaining pieces were sold by Christies Amsterdam in 1992, where they realized a return of $7.3 million. This incredible piece truly belongs in a museum, or with the most astute collector. The base bears the Artemisia leaf mark in blue underglaze. This mark is typical of the Kangxi period, as up until the early 1680's conditions were unsettled in China and the existence of Imperial wares as well as the use of reign marks on porcelain was restricted in various ways resulting in a number of marks which came into use. Measurements (approximate): 9"H x 5" in diameter.