Chinese Shipwreck Funnel-Form Mercury Storage Vessel

Milk-pale, smooth and teardrop shaped, with only a blush of peach to show for the years.

This shipwreck funnel-form mercury storage vessel is from Cizao Kilns, Fujian Province, China. It is stoneware. Maritime trade grew dramatically during the Song and Yuan dynasties, from the 10th to the 14th centuries, when Quanzhou in Fujian Province was considered the largest port in the world. Rounded vessel narrowing to a small flat base, with a dome top and a very small mouth. The surface is a creamy white with faint yellow and pink areas, and appears dry and gently pitted. It is 4.5 inches wide, 4.5 deep and 8.5 high.

Simple, soft, and wholly unruffled.