This pink bowl belongs to an exclusive range of Peranakan porcelain known as the “butterfly series with surname”. These were nyonyaware decorated with prominent pairs of butterflies and peonies. What also characterized this series was the Chinese characters with family surnames inscribed usually along the rim of the piece, in this case, the “Pan” surname. The bowl would have likely been commissioned by the Pan family as part of a large dining ware service. This service would have been used during a tok panjang, or a large feast celebrating special occasions for Peranakan families.
