SEACS' FIRST 50 YEARS THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN CERAMIC SOCIETY 1969-2019 BY PATRICIA BJAALAND WELCH, PRESIDENT 2017-2010 WHY STUDY OR COLLECT CERAMICS? For archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians, the study of ceramics can help to provide an insight into past cultures because of the durable nature of pottery. Fragments can survive long after other artefacts made from less-durable materials have decayed beyond recognition. Combined with other evidence, the study of ceramic artefacts can help us gain insight into the organisation, as well as the economic, cultural, religious and social conditions of past societies. Where these ancient societies did not have writing systems and therefore written records of their history, chronologies based on pottery are helpful for dating their histories. Furthermore, chemical analyses of trace elements in ceramic fragments can help identify sources of clay and glazes, hence the networks of trade and communication that linked neighbouring cultures. http://www.museum.seaceramic.org.sg SEACS' FIRST 50 YEARS THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN CERAMIC SOCIETY 1969-2019 “The ‘iconic’ photograph of William Willetts, dressed in his trademark oversized white short- sleeve short kuta and loose fitting white cotton drill shorts otherwise known as ‘Bombay Bloomers’.” – Kwa Chong Guan WILLIAM WILLETTS (1918-1995) Kwa William Chong Ng Seng Willetts Guan Leong WILLIAM WILLETTS (1918-1995) March 1934 Helen, TG and son James The Melchior Collection (4 volumes) MRS. HELEN LING – (b. 1901) The Lings’ bungalow in the Cameron Highlands of Malaya – ‘Moonight’ MRS. HELEN LING – SEACS’ FIRST PRESIDENT Qingbai ware bowl with S. Song Dynasty (13C) molded decoration. Qingbai porcelain Provenance: ? – J. E. Melchior Collection, Shanghai Helen Dalling Ling (d. 1982) Mr. Tien Gi Ling (bequest) Purchased Freer Gallery 1984 “We had no inkling of the collection. It was the sort of event for which museum directors always hope. A relative of the owner [Helen Ling’s husband] called and asked us to come out to the suburbs to see the collection. Nine hundred out of a thousand times, when people invite us out to see objects, the collection is not unusual. But when we saw these ceramics, we were staggered.” - Sarah Booth, “The Freer’s Rare Catch: Gallery Acquires 30 Flawless Ancient Chinese Ceramics” - The Washington Post, 23 May 1984, p. B2. THE FREER GALLERY – THE MELCHIOR COLLECTION VIA HELEN LING The Ming Dynasty Emperor (Chenghua)’s ‘chicken cup’ that sold for HK$36.05m. Only four are in private collections. The Zuelligs bought it for HK$29m in 1999. Dr. Stephen & Dr. Gilbert Zuellig (Photo courtesy of Secretariat Zuellig) OTHER FOUNDING MEMBERS: THE ZUELLIG BROTHERS THE MEIYINTANG COLLECTION Mrs. Pamela Hickley Mr. George C. Cook Mrs. Jo Rutter Dr. Earl Lu (1925-2005) Don Sinclair (1926-87) Mr. K. T. Goh Mr. C. K. Sng Photo courtesy of Wei Sinclair Ngo Mr. Frank Hickley Mrs. Lu Sinclair Mrs. Pamela Hickley Mr. Don Sinclair Mrs. Helen Ling Mr. William Willetts Mrs Norma Lu Mr. Y H. (Mathew) Wong Mrs. Margaretha Ratnam Mr. Adrian Zecha Mr. Trevor Rutter Overseas Member: Mr. H. F. Goldstein Names in red served as early Presidents THE FOUNDING MEMBERS Ceramic Art of Southeast Asia by William Willetts. Singapore: ❶ Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, 1971 (reprinted 1973 and 1976). 194 pp; colour and black and white plates. Introduction and descriptive notes by William Willetts CERAMIC ART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA SEACS first exhibition Benjamin Sheares (1907-1981) SOUTHEAST ASIAN CERAMICS: JUNE 15 – JULY, 1971 Catalogue item 162 Willets’ description: “The flattened mouthrim [sic] painted in underglaze iron-black with two interrupted decorative bands; the inside wall laid with a cream slip; the cavetto with a fruiting vegetal scroll in iron-black, and the centre medallion with a fish; 5 spur-marks are partly concealed by the mottled body of the fish; all covered by a somewhat opaque milky-white glaze giving a lustred appearance; the outside wall slipped and glazed, and with 2 iron- black decorative bands; the carved foot with a light grey-brown biscuit containing whitish granules.” D. 27 cm. The University of Singapore collection. CERAMIC ART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA “Clues are parse and the expert learns through trial and error. The age of a piece is never a reliable guide, especially with pieces found in burial sites. It’s important to look at assemblages of wares rather than individual pieces for clues to the sequence of trade and porcelain products coming into the area. A lot of ceramic wares were moved around by Mohammedan traders.” Barbara Harrisson recording one of - Barbara Harrison the Neolithic burials in the early 1960s in Sarawak. BARBARA HARRISON Barbara Harrisson and Sarawak friend Barbara Harrisson recording one of the Neolithic burials in the early 1960s in Sarawak. DR. BARBARA GUTTLER BRUNIG HARRISSON (1922-2015) New Nation, 8 January 1973, p. 4 The perfume jar of globular form with a flanged, everted mouth and cover with recessed knob (exhibition item #7) singled out by G. S. Cook in the Introduction, on loan from Helen Ling Examples of the ‘Marco Polo’ (late Song/early Yuan) dehua described by Willetts in the catalogue CHINESE WHITE WARES, JANUARY 1973 Chinese White Wares Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic ❷ Society. 1973. 370 pages, 167 black and white plates illustrating 167 pieces. Almost all came from South China covering Tang to the 18C with a few northern Chinese wares included as contrast. • With an introduction by G. S. Cook, • A note on ‘Marco Polo’ by William Willetts, • Descriptive notes by G. S. Cook, Frank Hickley and Don F. H. Sinclair CHINESE WHITE WARES SOAME JENYNS (1904-1976) SPEAKS TO THE SOCIETY – FEBRUARY 1974 • He urged SEACS to study Annamese ceramics, visiting kiln sites and collating the information, emphasizing the need for more ‘spade work’. Our geographic location, he argued, put us in the position of being able to make a significant contribution to Southeast Asian ceramics. “True knowledge,” he told us, “is obtained from long and patient research into documentary evidence and local survey.” Chinese Blue & White Ceramics Compiled by Seng Teck Yeo and Jean ❸ Martin. Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, and Arts Orientalis, 1978. 315 pp, over 230 colour plates Including: • “Chinese Blue and White Ceramics: A Brief Introduction” – S. T. Yeo and Jean Martin • “Some Highlights of Chinese Blue and White” – Lu Yaw • “Chinese Blue and White Porcelain and its Place in the Maritime Trade of China” – Grace Wong • Index of Terms, Decorations and Table of reign marks CHINESE BLUE & WHITE CERAMICS (APRIL 1978) S. R. “Bill” Parker, 1960 Straits Times 23 June 1979 CELADON CERAMICS: JUNE 23-JULY 22, 1979 Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society ❹ & Arts Orientalis, 1979. 312 pp, 294 colour plates. Includes seven articles: • “Introduction” – Lu Yaw • “Celadon” - William Willetts • “Sinian Relics – A Summary” – Malcolm V. Quie • “A Note on Celadon Wares from Sinan” – John Ayers • “Celadon and Other Related Wares Excavated in Sarawak” – S. R. Parker • “Distribution of Chinese and Siamese Ceramics in Brunei” – Dato P. M . Shariffuddin and Matussin Omar • “Tributary Trade between China and Southeast Asia in the Song Dynasty” – Grace Wong Plus bibliography, notes, and a list of members CHINESE CELADONS AND OTHER RELATED WARES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA Maternity Figurines Covered with celadon glaze of varying tones 10-13 cm, 14-15C Sawankalok, Thailand On loan from the collections of Mr. & Mrs. Frank Hickley, Mrs. B. Sehnert, & Mr. and Mrs. Wim Irik Figurines Woman holding a fan, amorous couple, mother and child On loan from the collection of: Mr. & Mrs. Earl L From the catalogue, pp. 300-301 CELADON CERAMICS: JUNE 23-JULY 22, 1979 Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society ❹ & Arts Orientalis, 1979. 312 pp, 294 colour plates. Includes seven articles: • “Introduction” – Lu Yaw • “Celadon” - William Willetts • “Sinian Relics – A Summary” – Malcolm V. Quie • “A Note on Celadon Wares from Sinan” – John Ayers • “Celadon and Other Related Wares Excavated in Sarawak” – S. R. Parker • “Distribution of Chinese and Siamese Ceramics in Brunei” – Dato P. M . Shariffuddin and Matussin Omar • “Tributary Trade between China and Southeast Asia in the Song Dynasty” – Grace Wong Plus bibliography, notes, and a list of members CHINESE CELADONS AND OTHER RELATED WARES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA Travel photo ?? S. R. “Bill” Parker, 1960 Straits Times 23 June 1979 CELADON CERAMICS: JUNE 23-JULY 22, 1979 1981 Straits Times, 6 March 1981, p. 3 Christopher Hooi, (Curator of Anthropology) and Director of the National Museum: “[Khmer ceramics] have not been collected by many people in this part of the world [so] we are fortunate that from among our friends, two museums in Malaysia and the members of SEACS, we have been able to select a collection of exhibits representative of Khmer ceramic art from the late 9th to 14th century.” Photo, Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore KHMER CERAMICS: MARCH 7-31, 1981 ❺ Khmer Ceramics 9th-14th Century. Dina Stock, ed. Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, 1981. 140 pp., 106 plates, 1 map. Four articles: • “Introduction to the Ceramic Wares of Angkor” – Bernard P[hilippe] Groslier • “Khmer Ceramics of the Korat Plateau: Unravelling the Mysteries” – Roxanna Brown • “Use of Khmer Ceramics” – Dawn Rooney • “The History of the Khmers” – Rt. Hon. Malcolm MacDonald, O.M. KHMER CERAMICS “He liked pretty women just as he liked fine ceramics.” He also held “unconventional working hours. He would work in the morning, rest after lunch, slip off to the Singapore shops to look at jade or ceramics, have an evening drink … and then go back to work again.” (p. 320) Clyde Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald: Bringing an End to Empire. McGill-Queen’s Press, 1995. Malcolm Macdonald saying goodbye to Singapore after nine years (1955).