Cyril Beecher: Update On Margaret Medley’s Bibliography

Note: Since Margaret Medley prepared the main bibliography some important books have been published, bringing new insights to the study of Chinese and Japanese ceramics. This addenda will be amended from time to time and also will be extended to include ceramics from other areas.

Adhyatman, Sumarah Zhangzhou (Swatow) Ceramics The Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1990	A well-illustrated catalogue of Swatow wares found in Indonesia but many similar pieces are found in the West. Included are some interesting articles giving important new details of the kiln origins for these characteristic wares.
Carswell, John Ceramics in the Sadberk Hanim Museum Vehbi KoV Foundation, Istanbul, 1995	This illustrates and describes another interesting Turkish collection of Ming and early Qing export wares, all well illustrated.
Carswell, John Chinese Blue and White Ceramics British Museum, London, 2000	This includes some interesting insights into these wares, with special attention to the early pieces. The relationships between ceramics from China, the Middle East and Europe are also discussed
Curtis, Julia B. Chinese Porcelains of the Seventeenth Century. Landscapes, Scholars’ Motifs and Narratives Chinese Institute in America, New York, 1995	A fascinating insight into the motifs and decorations on some seventeenth century Chinese wares by a scholar with a special understanding of this aspect of ceramics.
De Matos, Maria, Antonia Pinto Chinese Export Porcelain Philip Wilson, London, 1996	Descriptions of wares held at the Museum of Anastacio Goncalves, Lisbon, mostly Ming and early Qing and giving insights into Portuguese taste in ceramics during these periods.
Goddio, F., Pierson, S. and Crick, M. Sunken Treasure, Lena Cargo Periplus, London, 2000	The catalogue for an exhibition of ceramics salvaged from a late 15th century wreck, held at the Percival David Foundation, London. A very interesting range of ceramics with a common period of production are included, together with a few pieces from the PDF, making a major step towards more accurate dating these export wares. The illustrations are excellent.
He Li Chinese Ceramics. The New Standard Guide Thames and Hudson, London, 1996	The ceramics are from the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco and 850 objects are illustrated. All periods are covered from Neolithic to the Qing dynasty but is limited, with regard to the claim in the title, to the objects available in the museum and is slightly idiosyncratic in character.
Jorg, C. J. A. and van Campen, J. Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Philip Wilson, London, 1997	The Ming and Qing wares held in this museum are covered with good illustrations and each piece is particularly well described.
Kerr, Rose Chinese Ceramics. Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911 Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1986	A comprehensive review of the Qing ceramics in the V and A with many of the objects illustrated.
Krahl, Regina (editor) The Emperor’s Broken China. Reconstructing Chenghua Porcelain Sotheby’s, London, 1995	A highly informative catalogue that describes numerous archaeological findings from the Imperial kiln at Jingdezhen, throwing new light onto Chenghua ceramics.
Little, Stephen Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period: 1620-1683 China Institute in America, New York, 1984	This catalogue of an exhibition of Transitional wares has an historical survey of these wares and the descriptions for the illustrations are most comprehensive and informative.
The Percival David Foundation Imperial Taste. Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation. Chronicle Books & Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1989	This includes a catalogue by Rosemary Scott with full descriptions and illustrations of some of the Imperial ceramics in the collection as well as some interesting essays by several other authors.
Pierson, Stacey Designs as Signs: Decoration and Chinese Ceramics The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2001	This is an interesting study of the designs, stories and motifs on some of the ceramics in the collection.
Rinaldi, Maura Kraak Porcelain. A Moment in the History of Time Bamboo Publishing, London, 1989	This is an outstanding review of this highly collectable group of ceramics with a very wide range of designs and forms discussed and illustrated. A problem still remains – exactly which ceramics at the limits of the group should be or not be described as Kraak ware.
Scott, Rosemary E. Elegant Form and Harmonious Decoration. Four Dynasties of Porcelain Decoration. Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1992	A well-illustrated book to accompany the anniversary exhibition at the Percival David Foundation in 1992, including pieces from the collection as well as pieces from the collection of C. P. Lin.
Sheaf, Colin and Kilburn, Richard The Hatcher Porcelain Cargoes. The Complete Record. Phaidon Christie’s, London, 1988	The two cargoes salvaged by Captain Hatcher from the South China Sea covered by this volume provided valuable information for the dating of Chinese export ceramics at the very end of the Ming dynasty and at the middle of the eighteenth century. These two cargoes are fully discussed and many varieties of porcelain are illustrated.
Valenstein, G. Suzanne A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics Weidenfeld & Nicolson and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1989	A revised edition of the book first published in 1975, bringing up to date a most useful overview of the whole range of Chinese ceramics from Neolithic to the twentieth century.
Watson, William Pre-Tang Ceramics of China. Chinese pottery from 4000BC to 600 AD Faber and Faber, London, 1991	This volume of the Faber monographs covers the early range of Chinese ceramics exhaustively and in a most scholarly way, covering China on a region by region basis. Each region is dealt with chronologically so that production from the same periods but from different areas can be compared. There are chapters devoted to kiln technology and to shapes and models.
Wilson, Ming Rare Marks on Chinese Ceramics The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1998	Interesting marks on ceramics from the two collections are discussed and all objects and their marks are illustrated.
Wood, Nigel Chinese Glazes A & C Black, London, and the University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1999	This book, on some of the technical aspects of Chinese ceramic production, is full of interesting information, providing a fascinating background to collecting any type of Chinese ceramics.
Ayers, J., Impey, O. and Mallet, J. V. G. Porcelain for Palaces. The Fashion for Japan in Europe 1650-1750 The Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1990	This catalogue, containing a number of very important essays, is a major contribution to the study of Japanese Export Wares, 1650-1750. Also the influence of these wares on Western ceramic production is thoroughly covered. Many important objects are illustrated.
Impey, Oliver The Early Porcelain Kilns of Japan. Arita in the first Half of the Seventeenth Century Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996	This is a most significant contribution to the study of Japanese porcelain production prior to the start of the export period in the second half of the seventeenth century. An important aspect of this book is the inclusion of a number of sherds collected by the author at the kiln sites, so enabling many early pieces to be attributed to actual kilns.