This spittoon has a high shoulder and a mildly flaring mouth. Spittoons like this have been depicted in portraits of monks as a sign of status and royal favour. The yellow background indicates that it was most likely made for Buddhist monks in Thailand. Yellow appears to have been associated with the saffron robes worn by monks while enameled copperwares with yellow backgrounds have been found on display in monasteries such as Wat Pho in Bangkok.Kettles, betel sets and swords were but some of the gifts bestowed by Thai kings to members of the royal family, aristocracy and senior monks as part of an established court practice to formally recognize status and rank. While these gifts were more often than not gold or silver nielloware, copper was the material of choice for gifts to monks since precious metals were deemed to be too extravagant for a life committed to poverty. Produced in the 19th century for export to Thailand it was probably produced in Guangzhou where workshops produced objects tailored to the demands of foreign markets. The object is in fine condition given how the enamels of enamelled copperware tend to peel off or crack due to the differential rates of expansion between enamel and the copper beneath during firing.
