I recently had the opportunity of assisting the Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn Bhd on one of their many projects. It was to help identify porcelains recovered from a shipwreck they recently discovered in the South China Sea just off the coast of Malaysia.  Just one of many shipwrecks they have discovered.  The salvage work on the Wanli is being done with the cooperation and approval of the Malaysian Department of Museums and Antiquities and the Ministry of Culture with the agreement that 70% of the salvaged cargo goes to Nanhai Marine Archaeology. They, in turn, are offering many of these pieces to the public with the proceeds helping to finance further future exploration. To date, they have discovered, excavated, and documented ten important shipwrecks in the South China Sea ranging from dates c 960 to 1845 AD. Their major discoveries have helped rewrite history on early trade with China.

Porcelain from a shipwreck is not just cargo to be salvaged, it's priceless documentation for history. It's  like a clock that suddenly stopped, capturing a moment in time. Unlike a tomb which is easily plundered, a shipwreck remains out of reach and mostly buried and undisturbed for centuries till it's found. The wonderful thing about well fired porcelain is it's ability to withstand the elements of time in this harsh environment with little or no deterioration.  Though many pieces will break, leaving only shards to recover, many pieces remain intact and are as perfect as the day they were fired.

To own a piece that was salvaged from a shipwreck is the collector's dream. No question to the provenance, no need to consider thermoluminescent testing. No guesswork whatsoever.

Since becoming involved with Nanhai Marine Archaeology, I've gained a great deal of respect for the work they do. Aside from their ten historical shipwreck discoveries off the coast of Malaysia, the managing director, world renowned maritime explorer and author Sten Sjostrand and his crew have also discovered another 120 steel shipwrecks that are less than 100 years old over the past 32 years.

In breaking tradition of never linking to sites, I highly recommend you visit their site to view the excellent presentation and documentation of their finds. You will also have the opportunity to purchase some of the items they have recovered at very reasonable prices. In doing so, you will at the same time be helping to fund further exploration into the history of Chinese Porcelain.

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JP O'Brien