Book Project Summary

Portugal in Porcelain from China: 500 years of trade is a five volume comprehensive study of Chinese export porcelain made specifically for the Portuguese market from 1520 to 1900. This bi-lingual work, written in English and Portuguese, reports the history of Portugal’s trade with China, with primary research on the people and institutions that ordered the porcelains and quotes most of the 20th century printed references on the subject.

About the Author

For over thirty years Alberto Varela Santos has earned a reputation of being a leading dealer in Chinese export porcelain of the 17th and 18th centuries (Compagnie des Indes) in the international world of fine antiques, first as gallery owner in London and now as a private dealer at international shows and as a writer.

Combining his passion for travelling and Chinese export porcelain, Mr. Santos relentlessly searches the world in order to find the best and rarest objects for his discerning private collectors, museums, interior designers and fellow art dealers in Europe, Americas and Asia.

Selling Chinese export porcelain, whether an inexpensive item for a few hundred dollars or a unique one for much more, Mr. Santos strives always to offer museum quality works at a price range attractive to both new and seasoned collectors.

His stock covers the full range of Chinese export porcelain of the late Ming and Qing dynasties.

In 2007 embarked on a massive project to produce the definitive work on the Chinese porcelain ordered by the Portuguese.

Mr. Santos is a member of:

British Antiques’ Dealers Association
Confederation Internationale des Negociants en Oeuvres d’Art.