Vase decorated with enamels and gilt on a celadon ground, 19th century

This was originally a lidded temple jar with a celadon glaze, produced for the domestic market in the Jingdezhen kilns. The body of the jar was painted with polychrome designs of birds, animals, fish, flowers and scholarly objects, either locally or in Canton workshops. It was then exported through Canton to England where it was mounted with the present silver band on the rim. It has an Italian inscription, which in English means: ‘Given by the Queen of Naples with thanks to “The Saviour of Europe” the most illustrious Lord Baron Nelson of the Nile, in Palermo the Month of July, 1800 AD’. The English Admiral Nelson who beat Napoleon was glorified throughout Europe.

The inclusion of the cash coin inscriptions of the reigns of Yongzheng (1723-1735), Daoguang (1820-1850) and Xianfeng (1851-1861) dates the jar to the mid-19th century. The inscribed silver mount is from an earlier piece (now presumably lost). Originally a pair, the other jar is now in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK. The Greenwich jar was acquired with the Nelson memorabilia collected by Sir Henry Sutcliffe Smith (1864-1938). That jar is decorated similarly and has the marks of Yongzheng and Daoguang.