Qing Dynasty Kangxi Period Blue Underglaze Porcelain Kendi Recovered From Vung Tau Shipwreck W/Artemisia Leaf Mark - This piece is Vietnamese porcelain kendi (pouring vessel) made during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. The vessel is of typical globular form with a bulbous spout and flaring neck ending in a inverted rim. The vessel is elaborately decorated in underglaze blue with a beautifully ornate scrolled floral theme. 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. The kendi has played a significant role in the rituals and daily life of the Southeast Asian cultures since ancient times. Kendi appear in sculpture and painting as an attribute often held in a hand of the Hindu gods Brahma and Shiva, as well as others. It was used as a ritual container for holy water, collected from sacred rivers and blessed by the gods, in the coronation ceremony of a king, who cleansed himself with the water as a symbol of purification. Measurements (approximate): 9.5"H x 7.5"W.