Provenance research on objects from the former German colony in China in four museums in East Frisia

The Museumsfachstelle/Volkskunde of the Municipal Association Ostfriesische Landschaft had the provenance of 511 objects examined, that were assumed to have come from the former German colony in China. These objects are located in four East Frisian museums and cultural institutions, the Deutsches Sielhafenmuseum Carolinensiel, the Naturforschende Gesellschaft zu Emden, the Ostfriesisches Teemuseum Norden and the Fehn- und Schiffahrtsmuseum Westrhauderfehn. The project was supported by the Lower Saxony Provenance Research Network. Facts & Files Historical Research Institute Berlin has been commissioned to conduct the research.

As a result of later reporting this number of objects to be examined increased to 606. However, it must be taken into account that some objects consist of several parts (e.g. jug and lid), each of which is inventoried individually. In addition, around 50 objects could be identified early on as not originating from China or East Asia and were consequently excluded from the more in-depth investigation.

The previous owners of the objects were determined on the basis of the museum inventories, object documentation, illustrations and the provenance characteristics recorded during the autopsy. The analysis also included the identification, transliteration and translation of the marks, hallmarks and other Chinese and Japanese inscriptions found.

In the case of 270 objects, i.e. almost half of all those examined, an analysis of the marks on them could help determine that they had not been made in China. Of these, 119 are Chinese or Asian decorated porcelains, mainly cups, saucers and teapots. Many of them were produced in Japan, some also in Germany. The pieces considered to have been produced in Japan have been further investigated due to their possible acquisition in China (or en route to/from China). The vast majority of the newly attributed objects (233) are in the Sielhafenmuseum Carolinensiel, while only about ten objects are affected in the other houses.

In the case of 43 objects, the dating of the object could also be corrected or made more precise.

In the case of the porcelains actually made in China, government marks applied turned out to be imitations in most cases, which at best provided a terminus post quem for dating. All 55 brands identified were documented and determined on the basis of specialist literature and various, especially Chinese, sources on the Internet.

In no case could an unlawful acquisition within the meaning of the definition of the "Guidelines for dealing with collections from colonial contexts" and the "Recommendations for dealing with human remains in museums and collections" of the German Museum Association be proven.

The relevant objects were published online at https://www.postcolonial-provenance-research.com (PAESE - provenance research in non-European collections and ethnology in Lower Saxony).

(c) Ostfriesische Landschaft Regionalverband für Kultur, Wissenschaft und Bildung