Early
Chinese Export Hand-Painted Bowl
Freed from British Trade
restrictions following the American independence, Americans lost no time in
establishing trade with China. The first American ship involved in the China
Trade was the "Empress of China," which sailed from New York in 1784. Other
American merchants quickly followed and began importing teas, spices, silks, and
ceramics like the cider pitcher seen above. Chinese porcelain was a
particularly important item. By the time Americans entered the China Trade, the
Chinese had already developed certain stock patterns, several of which used
Masonic symbols. Since symbolism plays an important part in Chinese art,
Chinese decorators must have felt a degree of familiarity in working with
designs and symbols. The most common stock pattern imported in the American
trade is made up of polychrome symbols with either a star or grapevine border
like the cider pitcher above. The design includes the pillars and mosaic
pavement and arranged around them are the beehive, a Chinese type work bench and
tools, square and compasses, Bible, and a smooth ashlar fitted with a handle.
Other versions include only the sun, moon, stars, and a cloudy canopy
interpreted as stylized Chinese rain clouds.
Another type of Masonic decoration
imported to America were personal monograms with a pseudo-armorial design of
Masonic emblems. The forms of Masonic decorated China Trade porcelain are
primarily mugs, punch bowls, tea and coffee pots, and more rarely, entire tea
sets. The notebook of an American trader dated 1797, in the collection of the
Rhode Island Historical Society, lists the "Price current at Canton for
Chinaware" and includes 1 to 1 1/2 gallon Masonic bowls for 2 to 3 dollars each,
and Masonic pint mugs for 20 dollars a hundred. Most of this porcelain was for
private use, although the history of some of the larger punch bowls definitely
suggests that they were used in Lodges.
This bowl measures 4
1/2” high x 11 1/2 diameter.
A special "Thanks" to
Brother Fred Lowstetter, PM, a 30 year collector and 30+ year Masonic Lodge
member from Pennsylvania for submitting the pictures of this beautiful bowl.
