Gousse Bonnin. <em>Sauce Boat</em>, 1771-1772. Porcelain, with handle: 4 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (10.5 x 8.9 x 19.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 42.412. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 42.412_SL1.jpg)

Gousse Bonnin. Sauce Boat, 1771-1772. Porcelain, with handle: 4 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (10.5 x 8.9 x 19.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 42.412. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 42.412_SL1.jpg)

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I've just read Chernow's Hamilton biography and in it, he covers the fact that many imports still came in from Europe - even porcelain. They highlight the fact that the ordering of porcelain took many weeks longer to arrive in the United States than other cargo from Europe. I'm wondering if it's because the English ordered from China and controlled supplies to America?

That's absolutely true. America was incredibly reliant on Britain for manufactured goods, and throughout the 18th and 19th century they were our biggest trading partner. Prior to the revolution, Chinese imports to America were mediated by British traders. But also, England was a major manufacturer of ceramics themselves. If you are on the fifth floor, we have some really early and rare examples of American porcelain dating to the colonial period! Only a few pieces of these exist in the world. Unfortunately, fledgling American companies struggled to compete with the influx of English and Chinese ceramics.

Sauce Boat

Decorative Arts

On View: American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Visions and Myths of a Nation, 1800–1890

MAKERS Gousse Bonnin; George Anthony Morris; American China Manufactory

MEDIUM Porcelain

Place Made: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

DATES 1771-1772

DIMENSIONS with handle: 4 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (10.5 x 8.9 x 19.1 cm) without handle: 3 13/16 x 3 1/2 x 6 3/8 in. (9.7 x 8.9 x 16.2 cm) (show scale)

INSCRIPTIONS Outside base is marked with a small "P" in pale blue under the glaze.

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts

ACCESSION NUMBER 42.412

CREDIT LINE Dick S. Ramsay Fund

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Sauce boat, white earthenware, boat shaped body, elongated spout, double scroll handle, flared foot, C scrolls in relief on each side enclosing a Chinese landscape in zaffer blue, there are scattered flowers in blue, the interior has a design in blue of a tree, painted in a Chinese style. Condition: Fair, base chipped, chip on inside of lip, lower scroll of handle cracked, under base discolored by age. See lab report on file.

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Visions and Myths of a Nation, 1800–1890

CAPTION Gousse Bonnin. Sauce Boat, 1771-1772. Porcelain, with handle: 4 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (10.5 x 8.9 x 19.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 42.412. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 42.412_SL1.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 42.412_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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