A JAPANESE ARITA PORCELAIN BOTTLE WITH THE INITIALS OF OPPERHOOFD OF DESHIMA AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE FORMER DUTCH EAST-INDIES JOHANNES CAMPHUYS
Late 17th century
Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue with the initials “I:C” inside a circle, possibly for Johannes Camphuys.
H. 20.5 cm
Diam. footring 10.5 cm
A JAPANESE ARITA PORCELAIN APOTHECARY BOTTLE
Late 17th century
The bulbous bottle undecorated and plain white.
H. 30 cm
Diam. footring 10.4 cm
Note:
Few of these blank bottles that were used in multiple ways in pharmacy shops, onboard ships, in kitchens, and so forth have been preserved, partly because in the Netherlands, mainly in Delft, many of them have been overdecorated with European or Chinoiserie scenes. Orders by the VOC for apothecary bottles in Japan ceased in about 1710.