Any Help on this Pot ?

[baltbottles]

Looks Chinese to me... Or at least Asian. And not very old probably less then 100 years.

Chris

 

[SAbottles]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. While it was on my table today, waiting for the chap to come by, at least 8 or 9 people stopped and expressed interest in it. When the owner arrived, I told him that I hadn't been able to find anything really about it. I offered him a fairly small sum, not feeling like gambling on it. He laughed and carried the pot off. Now all I need to find out is that it was worth $$thousands$$ !! Oh well...

 

[cc6pack]

SA

Thanks for the correction on the Z A R, everything I could find was for the SAR

 

[KentOhio]

I agree that it looks Asian. I have seen a Japanese tea leaf storage jar that's similar but with a smaller mouth. Some time in the 19th century maybe.

 

[Bixel]

Dont worry, IMHO you didnt miss anything too great by the owner taking it back, I wouldnt pay much for a crock like that either.

 

[SAbottles]

Kyle, I agree - it don't look much ! However there seems a possibility it may have been what was called a "vetpot", literally "grease pot". These were Dutch in origin and as there were plenty of Dutch ships active around the South African coast, it could very well have been from one of them. If it was a C17th Dutch East India Company pot, it would have been worth a lot of money ! I am waiting for a friend who is more of an expert on early Cape and Dutch artefacts to give me some more info. However, main thing is I passed it up !