This porcelain spoon comprises of a simple oval shaped scoop with a handle and gilt-edged rims. The piece carries the reign mark of “Guangxu nian zhi” suggesting it was manufactured during the reign of Emperor Guangxu from 1875 to 1908. It is decorated with motifs of red peony sprays with leaves and bud. Peonies are auspicious symbols that symbolise spring, love, beauty and good fortune. These motifs are painted against a greenish brown background, which is a relatively rare colour for Nonya ware. The colour is more commonly found in Nonya ware used in Malacca and Singapore rather than Penang. Peranakan Chinese spoons were usually smaller, more graceful and delicate than those used by other Chinese to eat food. Such overglaze polychrome enamelled porcelain or Nonyaware could be part of the elaborate “tok panjang” dinner service which refers to dining at home on special occasions. Such a dinner service could comprise several hundred to several thousand pieces of plates, bowls and spoons of varying sizes.
