Peranakan Porcelain

(Nyonya Porcelain)

Peranakan porcelain was exported from China as a result of a specialized market in South East Asia.
Peranakan or Baba Nyonya are terms for a subgroup of the Straits Chinese and their unique culture. They are descendants of early Chinese emigrants who settled on both sides of the Malacca straits in the 15th and 16th centuries. That is the area of present-day Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

These early settlers often took Malay or Indonesian brides and as a result their culture and objects was influenced by the local Malay culture, creating a very distinct local Chinese flavor.

The Straits Chinese porcelain is generally brighter and more colorful than the porcelain used in China. The phoenix has a more prominent position in the local porcelain design than that used in China and it appears often larger in size than in other Chinese porcelains.




Do you own real antique Nyonya porcelain? You are welcome to post images to the Visitor Gallery to let other visitors enjoy the beautiful colors of Straits Chinese porcelain.

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