The Chitra Collection: China’s Early Trade with the West

This blue and white porcelain cup and saucer from the Yongzheng period (1723–1735) is decorated with a bird, perhaps a crane, and flowers, and over-decorated in Holland, circa 1730–1770, with a basket pattern and landscapes.

Text by Jane Pettigrew • Photography Courtesy of N Sethia Foundation

This second article on the N Sethia Foundation’s Chitra Collection of historic tea wares focuses on pieces made in China for use there and for export to the West. The styles, shapes, and materials add fascinating insight into how tea was produced, brewed, and drunk at a time when travellers and merchants from Europe were becoming aware of both Chinese ceramics and tea.

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