16TH CENTURY

Swatow wares, made at kilns in south China near the port of Shantou (called Swatow by the Dutch) was a coarse, utilitarian ware, often decorated after the 'kraak porselein' pieces made at Jingdezhen with birds and flowers and so forth, but sometimes showing Portugese galleons or mariners' compasses. See M. Rinaldi, Kraak Porselein, p. 230 where she writes "Swatow wares...were of tremendous commerical importance. Chinese, Portugese and Dutch merchants used (them) in trade transactions in Southeast Asia as barter for precious spices"