Page 48 - Chinese Export Porcelain Art, MET MUSEUM 2003

50. Punch Bowl. Chinese (American market),
ca. I784-90. Hard paste. H. 6'/4 in. (I5.9 cm).
Bequest of Edith Pryor, 1935 (35.II2)

Thefirstpunch bowls to comefrom China to
America on the Empress of Chinafeature a rim . ;
decoration and tassels that relate
offloral swags
closely to those on this example. Furthermore, the : ; \
merchant an American fag painted on
ship flying
the side and on the interior is very similar to the
Empress or anotherAmerican vessel, the Grand
Turk. The initialsJL that appear on the bowl's
exterior are those an
ofJohn Lamb (I735-80oo),
American Revolutionary leader andprominent New
Yorker. In 1784, the year the Empress of China :
sailed, he became collector .
of customsfor theport of
New York, a role that gave him close ties to the
of
burgeoning sea trade out the harbor to China.

Punch bowl, detail interior
of

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