Vietnamese Bleu de Hue Lot of (4) Gaiwans W/Butterfly Garden Motif (Has Six Character Marking) - This lot includes (4) porcelain gaiwans. Gaiwans are thought to have been invented during the Ming Dynasty when the mode of preparing tea changed from brick to loose leaves. Each gaiwan includes a bowl, a lid and a saucer. These pieces are elaborately decorated in a vivid blue underglaze with a floral garden and butterfly motif. Each piece bears a six character marking in underglazed blue on the base. This piece has excellent investment potential, as it is thought by experts around the world and avid collectors that due to the rapid modernization of Vietnam, Vietnamese antiques will within the next ten years be more valuable than Chinese antiques. According to some of the most expert collectors in the world, what used to sell for hundreds are now selling for tens of thousands. Measurements: saucers-5" in diameter, bowls-2.5"H x 3.5" in diameter.