The oldest shipwreck site found in Malaysian waters is that of the Tanjung Simpang (960–1127), which was loaded with exceptional items from the Sung dynasty. The site of the Turiang shipwreck (c. 1370) yielded a cargo of important underglaze Sukhothai fish plates, which is extremely important from an archaeological perspective. The site of the Royal Nanhai wreck (c. 1460) yielded vast quantities of scarce early celadon ware. The Wanli shipwreck (c. 1625), which was recently found in Malaysian waters, is another remarkable site from the collector’s viewpoint because it contained an intact cargo of fine delicate Ming porcelain. The quality of the ceramics excavated from the Desaru (c. 1830), a Malaysian wreck that was bursting with blue-and-white ceramics, do not match those of the Wanli, but the Desaru’s impressive cargo of more than 50,000 spoons and rare Yixing teapots made an impact on the collecting community.

Vietnam was another jurisdiction that yielded some pleasant surprises. The country is famous for its 15th-century cargo of blue-and-white ceramics, the famous Hoi An Hoard. The find of the Hoi An in the perilous “Dragon Sea” was said to “redefine Vietnamese art history,” and the top floor of the National Museum of Vietnam is now dedicated to Hoi An exhibits.

The auction results of the Hoi An Hoard did not reflect the enormous archaeological value of the site, but other Vietnamese wrecks fared well at auction. When the Vung Tau shipwreck (c. 1690) went under the hammer at Christie’s Amsterdam in 1992, results surpassed projections by yielding approximately $7.3 million.

Other shipwreck cargos that are popular with collectors are the Nanking cargo recovered from the Dutch flagged Geldermalsen (c.1752), which attracted much publicity; the Diana cargo (1817); the Bin Thuan (c. 1608) with its 20,000 Swatow wares and the Ca Mau cargo (c. 1725). The Ca Mau was found to contain 130,000 items of pottery ware, which included superb blue-and-white cups and saucers and a number of extremely interesting figures. This cargo offered important tangible evidence of the passion for chinoiserie that pervaded 18th-century Europe and was well-received by discerning collectors of Asian ceramics. Items from the Ca Mau have already been resold by dealers worldwide and are selling at a high premium.

Genuine collectors do not want to participate in the looting of history. Issues of legality are very topical in the world of Asian shipwreck ceramics, and items without provenance stickers are high-risk. Collectors should ensure that the items they purchase have been legitimately recovered under license from the states, which assert jurisdictional rights over the finds. The investment made by some Australian collectors in the Tek Sing shipwreck (c. 1821) sank because the Australian government refused to allow the importation of goods exported without the approval of the government of Indonesia. With shipwrecks, one often understands the calamity only when it is too late.

Robert Attard is a freelance writer who specializes in shipwreck ceramics and military antiques.