The Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure- Plate Birds In Garden

The Tek Sing Treasure: A Long-Lost Cargo

This blue-and-white circular plate features a hand painted birds flying in the floral garden scene inside the piece. Wavy like abstract painting around the rim. Many birds and floral painting on the outside of the plate as well.One of the vessel that was made during late Ming dynasty(17th century). It remains in fine condition despite its long submersion. You can still see the distinct glaze crazing, spalling, and/or mineral encrustations left by the ocean.

The piece traveled aboard the Tek Sing, a massive 1,000-ton Chinese merchant ship. In 1822, the vessel left Amoy for Batavia with 200 crew members, 1,600 immigrants, and a vast porcelain cargo. Captain Io Tauko took a shortcut through the Gaspar Strait. The ship hit a reef and sank, claiming roughly 1,600 lives. Today, people call it the “Titanic of the East.”

Archaeological findings show that, with the rise of Quanzhou port in Fujian as the largest port in the East during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, Ceramics became bulk commodities on the ancient Maritime Silk Road. The Tek Sing shipwreck ceramics are evidence of those mass exports.

In May 1999, British marine salvor Michael Hatcher discovered the site. It is the largest Chinese wooden shipwreck ever found. His crew salvaged about 350,000 porcelain pieces from the seabed. A German auction house later sold the historic cargo for over $10 million.

One of a kind!

Dimensions:7.75″ x 7.75″ x 1.25″

Antique piece. Sell in used, pre-owned condition. Vintage and antique items by nature have variable amounts of wear, imperfections, signs of use, age and time. Perfectly imperfect. Condition shown as in pictures. Kindly contact us if you need more info. or detail pictures.