Page 198 - The colours of each piece: production and consumption of Chinese enamelled porcelain, c.1728-c.1780

CHAPTER 5 Porcelain Trade at Canton 1740-1760

similar arguments can be made in my research. In the context of export porcelain trade

at Canton, the large quantity of blue and white porcelain trade required a more

efficient and expansive system which could be categorised into a formal market. On

the other hand, informal factors were accounted more importantly to enamelled

porcelain trade, as informal transactions tend to be small, lightly regulate and has an

easier entry. The formal market of blue and white was easily affected by wars and

political instability, as shown, while the informal markets of enamelled porcelain in

contrast brought growth.

0.3

0.22
0.2 0.2
0.15
0.13 0.14
0.12 0.12
0.08

1741 1750 1751 1753 1761
B&W Enamelled

Figure 5-2 Average price of single bowl in 1741-1761 in taels of silver.
Source: this price is calculated by the author of this thesis by using both the EEIC and
VOC records. The VOC records were taken C.J.A. Jörg, Porcelain and the Dutch

China trade (The Hague, 1982), p.121. The EEIC records: IOR/G/12/48-IOR/G/12/57,
R/10/4-R/10/5.

The increasing and steady demand for enamelled wares from the East India

companies reduced uncertainty in long-distance trade of porcelain and thus in turn

more trade could take place. In addition, the enamelled porcelain trade continued to

be more profitable than blue and white, as was reflected in the price. For example, in

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