Large Canton porcelain bowl with East India Company merchant ship motif

The bowl's exterior is adorned with alternating motifs of East India Company merchant ships and flowers. Ship motifs were popular in porcelain exports for over a hundred years, from the early 18th to the mid-19th century, and were depicted in blue and white, ink-color, and Canton enamel. However, the specific decorative styles used in different periods, as well as the characteristics and equipment of the ships depicted, enable relatively accurate dating.