A small Japanese blue-and-white Arita porcelain bottle marked P.VD
Arita, late 17th/early 18th century H. 19 cm Content approx. 800 ml
In a laurel wreath, the initials P.VD can be seen on the underside of the bottle, standing for Pieter van Dijck. Pieter van Dijck, in 1684, married Cornelia Cleijer in Batavia, becoming the son-in-law of Andreas Cleijer, Opperhoofd or chief merchant in Japan at Deshima from 1682 till 1683 and 1685 till 1686. Pieter himself was an assistant merchant and Tweede Dispensier in Batavia in 1684 and in 1690 Secunde in Japan at Deshima under Opperhoofd Hendrik van Buytenhem. It is most likely he ordered this bottle during his stay on the island tradepost.