Two teardrop shaped Japanese porcelain bottles made for the Dutch market, the necks with a characteristic double flange in order to facilitate the sealing of the opening with a tied cloth cover. Tradition has it that many of these gallipots were made for the “Medicine Shop” in Batavia where they would have been filled with oils and other medicinal fluids, for use on board ship or sent to other Asian settlements. They were made between 1653 and 1690. Shibata and Impey date most of these bottles to 1670 ~ 1690.

For an apothecary bottle of identical design, though 3 inches taller, see “Japanese Porcelain”, Soame Jenyns, plate 10b. Interestingly Jenyns states that the gallipot is the first foreign shape to be recorded in the Dutch Registers. It occurs in 1653 and then onwards annually until 1682 and also later. This shape must have been copied from Dutch glass.

Quite rare and difficult to find nowadays, especially in pairs.

Approximately 8.1/2 inches (21.6 cm) high. The bottle on the left in the photographs has some largish chips in the top rim, otherwise fine with no cracks or restoration. The bottle on the right has had the top rim ground. Its foot-rim has a couple of firing cracks and a pre-glaze chip. All shown in the photographs.

Well worth having silver rims made for them.

Please study the photographs.

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