Jar with the emblem of the Order of St Augustine

The emblem of the Catholic Order of St Augustine – a crowned, double-headed eagle standing on a heart pierced with an arrow – makes this a special Chinese porcelain jar. It may have been produced especially for the Augustinians, for one of their missionary outposts. They established Roman Catholic monasteries in the Philippines, Macau, and Mexico in the 16th century. From 1565 to 1815, Spanish ships, which have come to be known as "Manila Galleons", transported porcelains (like this jar), ivory, silk, and other commodities from China, via the Philippines, to the Mexican port of Acapulco. The goods were then transported overland for onward shipment to Spain.

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