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Maine and the Orient:
Imports from the Far East |
China exported tea, silk, sugar, matting, spices, clothing, silver, porcelain, furniture, lacquerware, and decorative items to the United States and other countries.
Tea was introduced to England and her possessions in the middle of the seventeenth century. In China, it had been known for centuries. Tea played a role in world events in the 18th century, including the American Revolution.
The Chinese produced certain items specifically for export. Some, such as Chinese art and Chinese export porcelain, were made for resale in the West. Other items were bought by merchants and sea captains for family members and friends, and for their own homes. These included furniture, sewing boxes, and clothing, not suited for resale but moderate enough in price for merchants to purchase for their own use.
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One of the most popular export porcelain patterns from China was called Famille Rose, or Rose Medallion. The well-known blue and white pattern known as Blue Willow depicts Chinese scenes but was actually made in England.
Between 1860 and 1900, the United States’ tea imports from China more than doubled. Chinese exports also included firecrackers, feathers, and tungsten ore. From Hong Kong came sugar, spices, rice, matting, and cement. Coal was carried from Australia to Chile, where nitrates were loaded for the U.S. Sugar came from Java, and jute from Calcutta. Jute was needed for the manufacture of linoleum in New York.
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