Three items catch the eye and have a story from the past to tell

Three items in the prologue section of the exhibition at the Shanghai Museum show how Chinese goods were taken to Europe by diplomats, travelers and trade missions.

The first of these exhibits, Blue-and-white Ewer with Peony Scrolls, is 27.9 centimeters high and 22.2 cm in diameter at the base. It belongs to the Musee National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet in Paris and dates to the reign of Emperor Yongle (1403-1424).

This official piece of porcelain was made in Jingdezhen in what is now Jiangxi province. During the reign of the emperors Yongle and Xuande (1426-1435), such blue-and-white porcelain items traveled on vessels commanded by the admiral and diplomat Zheng He. They were given as diplomatic gifts to countries such as Persia and Turkey.

The ewer was taken to France by Baron Francois de Fumel in 1547. At that time, he was a diplomat appointed by King Henry II of France and was making an official visit to Constantinople to see the Ottoman Emperor.

Chen Jie, a researcher in the ceramics department at the Shanghai Museum, said,"As a diplomatic gift, this ewer witnessed the communications between China and the Middle East, and the connections between the Middle East and Europe."

The second piece, Blue-and-white Kinrande Bowl with Lotus Scrolls in Silver-gilt Mounts, is from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It was made in Jingdezhen during the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1522-1566), and the mounting was completed in Germany around 1583. The item is 16.7 cm high and the rim is 11.7 cm in diameter.

During the Renaissance period in Europe, porcelain from China was a rare luxury, and this piece is especially exquisite, Chen said.

Ownership of the bowl can be traced to the Manderscheidt-Blankenheim family in the 16th century. An item bearing this design and featuring inscriptions on its silver base show that it was bought during the Ottoman Empire in 1583 and taken to Germany by Count Eberhart von Manderscheidt, who had it mounted in Germany in memory of his brother.

Count Eberhart made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1582, and the bowl was probably acquired during that journey. "It shows a different route for Chinese objects going to Europe through the Middle East," Chen said.

In the mid-15th century, Europeans ventured on maritime expeditions in search of new territories and trade routes at the advent of the Age of Exploration. As new routes opened, goods from the East were exported to Europe, with porcelain among the most treasured commodities.

Another interesting piece, also from the Victoria and Albert Museum, is a typical example of how porcelain made in China was redesigned and appeared among aristocratic circles in Europe.

The blue-and-white Brush Pot with Antiques, Transformed into a Covered Cup was made in Jingdezhen during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen (1628-44), and was mounted on gilt silver in England between 1660 and 1670. It is 33 cm high and the diameter at the base is 16.9 cm.

These items were designed to hold calligraphy brushes in China.

In the mid-17th century, so many pieces of Chinese porcelain were owned by aristocrats in England that their value fell significantly. Only the finest and most-prized items were mounted with silver or gold.

The piece on display in Shanghai was probably mounted by renowned goldsmith Wolfgang Howzer in 1660. The craftsman elaborately copied the painted images on the pot to the gilt silver lid.

Some experts believe the hounds on the handles and top of the lid symbolize a highly respected family, but no records to prove this have survived.