Swatow Ware

Swatow ware or Swatow is a common name for a group of mainly late Ming Dynasty export porcelain from China intended for the South East Asian market.

One of the probable reasons for this trade developing out of Swatow, or present-day Shantou, has to do with the disproportionately large numbers of ethnic Chinese migrating to South East Asia from Guangdong and neighboring Fujian Province. Their presence in South East Asia is still very much palpable, especially in Singapore and the Malaysian cities of Penang and Melaka.

The name Swatow is rendered in Teochew, belonging to a relatively small group of ethnic Chinese that reside within present day Canton or Guang Dong Province. Linguistically though, the dialect has more in common with the dialect of Fujian Province. Swatow literally means mountain head or head of the mountain.

Swatow ware is generally coarse, crudely potted and often under fired. Decoration in blue and white is by far the most common, although many polychrome wares, mainly with iron red and green over glaze decorations are well known.

Pictures below are the Swatow blue and white plates with a nicely written 'Fu' (福) calligraphy on it. It carries the meaning of prosperous, which is an important character in Chinese culture.

Plate 1
Diameter : 27cm
(Front)

Plate 1
(Back)

Plate 2
Diameter : 27.5cm
(Front)

Plate 2
(Back)

Plate 3
Diameter : 29cm
(Front)

Plate 3
(Back)

Plate 4
Diameter : 27.5cm
(Front)

Plate 4
(Back)

Plate 5
Diameter : 25cm
(Front)

Plate 5
(Back)

Plate 6
Diameter : 30cm
(Front)

Plate 6
(Back)

Three other Swatow plates with different unclear Chinese character written on it.

Plate 7
Diameter : 20.5cm
(Front)

Plate 7
(Back)

Plate 8
Diameter : 21cm
(Front)

Plate 8
(Back)

Plate 9
Diameter : 23.5cm
(Front)

Plate 9
(Back)

Below is another type of Swatow plate with phoenix and fish motifs on it.

Plate 10
Diameter : 29cm
(Front)

Plate 10
(Back)