The Southeast Asian Ceramic Society (SEACS) was founded in 1969 in Singapore.Welch, Patricia B. Southeast Asian Ceramic Society (1969-2019), Singapore: SEACS, 2019, p. vii, It is a member of the London-based Oriental Ceramic Society.
Description The society was the inspiration of William Willetts who gathered together a small group of established collectors and ceramic enthusiastsKwa Chong Guan, "William Willetts and the Practice of Asian Art History", NUS Museum Anniversary Lecture 2018, delivered 25 April 2018, p. 12 including George S. Cook, Frank Hickley, Pamela Hickley, Helen Ling, Norma Lu, Margaretha Ratnam, Trevor Rutter, Jo Rutter, C. K. Sng, Lu Sinclair, Don Sinclair, Y. H. (Mathew) Wong, and Adrian Zecha.Welch, Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, p. 18 Its first elected president was Helen Ling.Power, Stephanie, One from the Hart, NY: Simon & Schuseter, 2010, p. 131 She had many associates in the art world including the designer Jim Thompson; it was from the Lings' bungalow that Thompson disappeared in March 1967.Willetts, William, Ceramic Art of Southeast Asia, Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, 1971 The review by Henry D. Ginsburg singled out the uniqueness of their first publication and Willetts' appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of these previously unsung artefacts of the Asian ceramics world: "the world has been slow to recognize their quality."Henry D. Ginsburg, "Review: Ceramic Art of Southeast Asia by William Willetts," Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 61, Pt. 1 (January 1973), pp. 381-83.
Its members include the region's leading archaeologists. Wrecks such as the Turiang (a 14–16th century wreck) found by Sten Sjøstrand, whose ceramic cargo was studied by fellow member Roxanna Brown, have contributed to our knowledge of trade in Southeast Asia.Sten Sjostrand and Claire Barnes, "The 'Turiang': A Fourteenth-Century Chinese Shipwreck Upsetting Southeast Asian Ceramic History," Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the royal Asiatic Society, Vol 74, No. 1 (280) (2001), pp. 71-109 Long-time member John Miksic was awarded Singapore's inaugural History Prize in 2018.
The historian John Guy noted that this “presentation of the then little known ceramic tradition of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam caused a stir amongst the oriental ceramic cognoscenti.” Furthermore, that "the Society inspired a generation of younger scholars and stimulated the interest of government archaeological departments throughout Southeast Asia.” As a consequence, ceramic societies were to emerge in ensuing years in West Malaysia, Jakarta, Manila and Hong Kong.
Other exhibitions followed: Chinese White Wares (1973), Chinese Blue & White Ceramics (1973), Chinese Celadons (1979), Khmer Ceramics 9th–14th Century (1981), Vietnamese Ceramics (1982), Song Ceramics (1983), Han Dynasty Ceramics (1991), Ceramics in Scholarly Taste (1992), each accompanied by a catalogue and most recently, a 50th anniversary commemorative exhibition (2019) held at the Singapore National LibraryWelch, Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, p. A3 when the society celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The society, which is based in Singapore, is open to all those interested in ceramics and particularly Southeast Asian ceramics and attracts scholars and collectors alike from around the world. It holds monthly meetings and lectures via ZOOM, participates in educational workshops, and arranges both local and overseas study trips as well as handling sessions for its Singapore-based members. The categories of membership include local, overseas and students. Many of its members are known experts in their fields and their publications are listed on the society's website.
Presidents 1969–70 Helen Ling 1970–73 William Willetts 1973–75 George S. Cook 1975–78 Don R. H. Sinclair 1978–80 S. R. Parker 1980–81 Lu Yaw 1981–84 A. P. Rajah 1984–87 Earl Lu 1987–90 Steven Tan 1990–93 Kenson Kwok 1993–96 Lise Young Lai 1996–99 Pamela Hickley 1999-02 Lam Pin Foo 2002–05 Margaret Wang 2005–08 Marjorie Chu 2008–12 Alvin Chia 2012–17 Ingrid C. Hanson 2017–20 Patricia Bjaaland Welch 2020–21 Audrey Toh 2021–22 John N. Miksic
Publications Chinese Blue and White Ceramics, Singapore, 1978 Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia, 1979 Chinese White Wares, 1973 Khmer Ceramics, 1981, Lau, Aileen (ed.), Spirit of Han, 1991, Lu Yaw (ed.), Song Ceramics, 1983 Miksic, John N (ed), New Light on Old Pottery, 2009, Rinaldi, Maura, Ceramics in Scholarly Taste, 1993, Young, Carol M. et al., Vietnamese Ceramics, 1982, Welch, Patricia Bjaaland, Southeast Asian Ceramic Society 1969–2019, 2019, Willets, William, An Angkor Roundabout, 2017 Willetts, William, Ceramic Art of Southeast Asia, 1971
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