Bottle with pseudo-arabic ribbon

Bottle with pseudo-arabic ribbon and cranes in medallions, Chinese export porcelain in Kraak style for the Islamic market, China, Ming Dynasty, late 16th century. Porcelain, cobalt blue under the glaze, engraved decoration.
Courtesy of Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
Chinese porcelain production in the city of Jingdezhen had proto-industrial aspects from very early on. Several hundred thousand pieces were fired there for the global sales markets—every day.