Later Ceramics in South East Asia

Front Cover Later Ceramics Ceramics in S. E. Asia 16th to 20th Century
Internal pages Later Ceramics Ceramics in S. E. Asia 16th to 20th Century
Images of Chinese Ceramics in book Later Ceramics S. E. Asia 16th - 20th Century
Back Cover S. E. Asian Later Ceramics
Front Cover Later Ceramics Ceramics in S. E. Asia 16th to 20th Century
Internal pages Later Ceramics Ceramics in S. E. Asia 16th to 20th Century
Images of Chinese Ceramics in book Later Ceramics S. E. Asia 16th - 20th Century
Back Cover S. E. Asian Later Ceramics

Later Ceramics in South East Asia

A$110

Later Ceramics in South-East Asia: Sixteenth to Twentieth Centuries specifically highlights ceramics from China, Japan and Europe that were brought to Southeast Asia by Merchants during the post-Ming era.

This version incorporates data from famous shipwrecks including the Witte Leeuw (1613), the Hatcher junk (ca. 1643), and the Geldermalsen (1752). There is a deep dive into the kendi (a spouted water vessel), explaining why this specific shape was so highly valued and widely traded across Malaysia and Indonesia.

Condition: Dustjacket shows minimal edge wear top and bottom otherwise excellent. the dustjacket has been taped down on the inside corners and may require a bit of heat to remove without damaging the inside cover page. 

Publisher: Oxford University Press (Kuala Lumpur / New York)

Series: Oxford in Asian Studies in Ceramics

Publication Year: 1995

Format: Hardcover with Dust Jacket 116 pages – 29cm x 22.5cm

Illustrations: 169 black-and-white and 57+ color illustrations

ISBN: 9789676531124

Later Ceramics in Southeast Asia 16th – 20th Century

Barbara Harrisson’s book provides a systematic look at the types of ceramics—primarily stoneware and porcelain—that were traded and used throughout Southeast Asia during the later historical periods.

  • The “Trade” Perspective: The book focuses heavily on ceramics as commodities. It examines how Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai wares were exported to markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
  • Identification Guide: It is highly valued for its ability to help readers identify “provincial” or “non-imperial” wares, the everyday items like storage jars, bowls, and plates that were often overlooked by scholars focusing only on Ming or Qing court pieces.
  • Cultural Context: Harrisson explores how these ceramics were integrated into local Southeast Asian life, including their use in rituals, as heirlooms (pusaka), and as symbols of status.
  • Visual Documentation: The book is well-known for its high-quality plates (both color and black-and-white) that illustrate specific glazes, motifs, and base marks characteristic of the 16th century onwards.
  • Barbara Harrisson was a renowned art historian and the former director of the Princessehof Museum in the Netherlands. She spent significant time in Sarawak (Borneo), which gave her a unique “on-the-ground” perspective on how these ceramics were actually distributed and used in Southeast Asian societies
ChapterTitle & Focus
IntroIntroduction (A history of heirlooms and status symbols in SE Asia)
Ch. 1The Swatow Style: Favourite in South-East Asia (1550–1650)
Focuses on the “provincial” wares from the Zhangzhou kilns, categorized by Harrisson into “conservative,” “persistent,” and “versatile” families.
Ch. 2The Wares of Jingdezhen: Trend-setter World-wide (1550–1700)
Explores the influence of China’s primary porcelain capital and how its output transitioned from the Ming to the Qing dynasty.
Ch. 3Wares of Special Character (1550–1750)
Covers specific subsets like Japanese export porcelain (Arita), stoneware from Guangdong, and late Vietnamese wares.
Ch. 4Painted and Printed Wares (1700–1900)
A fascinating look at the later shift toward European-influenced styles and early mass-produced transfer prints.
Ch. 5The Industrial Revolution and the East (1800–1900)
Discusses the impact of modern technology on production and how European markets (specifically Dutch and British) began exporting back to the East.
Ch. 6The Modern Era and Traditional Persistence (1900–Present)
How traditional styles survived into the early 20th century amid mass industrialization.

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