Close
Exhibition
Exhibition
The Treasure Ships are coming! Get ready for compelling tales of exploration and trade in the 'Age of Spices'. Enjoy an overview of the exhibition and explore the latest news and reviews.
About
Artworks
Media
News
Sponsors
Event Packages
Treasure Ships App
Videos
Visit
Visit
Navigate your way to the Art Gallery of WA. Open 10am - 5pm, Wed - Mon, closed Tue. Download the free Treasure Ship app before you visit. While you are here explore the Gallery Shop for cards and gifts inspired by the exhibition.
Visiting Information
Treasure Ships App
Gallery Shop
Eat and Drink
See and Stay
Event Packages
Tickets
Tickets
Purchase tickets for you, your family, and friends.
Buy Tickets
Competition
FAQs
Treasure Ships App
What's On
What's On
Set sail with our events program! We have something for everyone from hands-on art activities across our special opening weekend to special after-dark events like ARTBAR. Don't forget to download our free Treasure Ships app before you visit.
All Events
After Dark
Children & Families
Don't Miss
UWA Lecture Series
ARTBAR
Guided Tours
Treasure Ships App
Family Fun & Education
FAMILY FUN & LEARNING
Calling all captains, crew, pirates, mini-mariners and mermaids. Join us for some seafaring fun and learning!
Treasure Chest
Family Fun
Treasure Ships App
Education
Connect
CONNECT
Have a question you need answered? Contact us, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and sign up to our e-news.
Get Social
Subscribe
Contact us
Treasure Ships App
Artworks
Please see below for our Treasure List
Bottle
Netherlands–Indonesia Bottle
18th–early 19th centuries
Netherlands, found in Indonesia
Hand-blown glass
18.0 cm (high)
Purchased 2014
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Square flask in the shape of a Dutch bottle
Japan
Square flask, in the shape of a Dutch bottle late 17th century
Arita, Saga, Imari ware porcelain
underglaze blue
23.3 x 10.3 cm (wide)
David Button Collection, Adelaide.
Dutch gin bottle
Australia
Dutch gin bottle early 20th century
Elcho Island, Northern Territory
natural pigments on carved wood
44.0 x 7.0 x 6.5 cm
South Australian Museum, Adelaide
The English Company's Islands, Pobasso, a Malay chief
William Westall
Great Britain/Australia, 1781–1850
Pobassoo, a Malay chief 1803
English Company’s Islands, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory
pencil drawing
27.7 x 17.6 cm
National Library of Australia Canberra
Naga dragon pectoral
Indonesia
Naga dragon pectoral
18th century or earlier, Ende region, Central Flores
gold
13.8 cm (width)
Collection Mandala Foundation, Singapore
Royal keris
Indonesia
Royal keris 17th century
Bima, West Nusa Tenggara
nickel, iron, gold, diamonds and semiprecious stones
51.0 x 13.0 cm
Gift of Geoffrey Hackett-Jones in memory of his brother Frank through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation 2008
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Churlish courtier, rod puppet [wayang klitik]
Indonesia
Churlish courtier, rod puppet [wayang klitik], 1931
Central Java
wood, leather, pigment, gold leaf, horn
53.0 cm (high including handle)
d’Auvergne Boxall Bequest Fund 2013
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
The City of Batavia in the Island of Java and Capital of all the Dutch Factories & Settlements in the East Indies
Robert Sayer, Great Britain, 1712–1760
The City of Batavia in the Island of Java and Capital of all the Dutch Factories & Settlements in the East Indies, c.1740
London
hand-coloured copper engraving
28.0 x 40.5 cm
Kerry Stokes Collection Perth
Two candlesticks, salvaged from the Batavia, sank 1629
Netherlands–Australia
Two candlesticks, salvaged from the Batavia, sank 1629, c.1628,
Netherlands, found Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia
bronze
21.0 x 14.0 cm (diameter),
23.5 x 16.0 cm (diameter)
Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth
Sounding lead, salvaged from the Batavia, sank 1629
Netherlands–Australia
Sounding lead, salvaged from the Batavia, sank 1629, c.1628
Netherlands, found in Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia
lead
47.5 x 6.5 x 7.0 cm, 12 kilograms
Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth
The Hague - A scholar in his studio
Abraham Van Den Hecken, Netherlands c.1615–c.1669
A scholar in his studio c.1655
The Hague (?)
oil on canvas
121.8 x 106.7 cm
Gift of Kathy Booth, Anne Davidson, Dr Peter Dobson, Dr Michael Drew, Dr Michael Hayes, Peter McKee and Philip Speakman through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation Collectors Club 2012
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Cary’s new terrestrial globe: exhibiting the tracks and discoveries made by Captain Cook
John Cary, Great Britain c.1754–1835
Cary’s new terrestrial globe: exhibiting the tracks and discoveries made by Captain Cook; also those of Captain Vancouver on the north west coast of America; and M. de la Perouse, on the coast of Tartary, together with every other improvement collected from various navigators to the present time 1825
London
globe mounted on mahogany tripod stand with a brass meridian ring
53.0 cm (diameter)
National Library of Australia, Canberra
Reliquary cross of St Francis Xavier
Portugal
Reliquary cross of St Francis Xavier
first half 17th century
silver
36.0 x 18.5 cm
National Museum Machado de Castro, Coimbra
Travels into several remote nations of the world by Lemuel Gulliver
Jonathan Swift, Great Britain 1667–1745
Travels into several remote nations of the world by Lemuel Gulliver ...,
1697, London, printed by Benj.
Motte, title page, bound volume, engraving and letterpress on paper
20.0 x 12.5 x 3.0 cm
Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide, Adelaide
Coconut cup
Thomas Phipps Great Britain, d.1823 Edward Robinson Great Britain, d.1816
Coconut cup c.1810
London
silver, coconut shell
16.5 cm (high)
Bequest of Miss Muriel Farr OBE 1969
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Box made for the office of the Governor of Madras
India
Box made for the office of the Governor of Madras c.1880
Madras (Chennai)
coco-de-mer nut (Lodoicea maldivica)
ebony, silver
32.0 x 28.0 x 19.0 cm
Collection of Barrie and Judith Heaven, Adelaide
Reliquary coffer, for fragment of the robe of St Francis Xavier
India
Reliquary coffer, for fragment of the robe of St Francis Xavier late 17th century
Basilica of Baby Jesus, Old Goa, Goa
silver, cloth, pigment
15.5 x 22.5 cm
Museum of Christian Art, Goa
Statuette of St Francis Xavier
INDIA
Statuette of St Francis Xavier 18th-early 19th century
ivory, wood, pigment
30.5 cm ht
Moorthy Collection, Mumbai, India
Boat, from the hand of ‘Our Lady of the Sea’ statue
INDIA
Boat, from the hand of ‘Our Lady of the Sea’ statue 1780-1830
Church of St. Francis Xavier, Dabul, Mahrashtra, India
gilt silver
Museum of Christian Art, Mumbai, India
Commemorative head of an Oba, Elephant tusk support
NIGERIA
Commemorative head of an Oba, Elephant tusk support
15th-16th century, Benin, Nigeria
bronze, lost-wax cast
South Australia Museum, Adelaide
Libation cup
China
Libation cup 17th century
rhinoceros horn
15.0 cm (high)
Myren-Grafton Collection, Adelaide
View of Macau
William Anderson, active late 18th century, Scotland
View of Macau, late 18th century
Macau, China
paint on canvas
Oriental Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
Arrival of the Black Ship
Japan
Arrival of the Black Ship early 17th century
six-panel screen, opaque watercolour, ink and gold on paper
94.0 x 290.0 cm
The Gwinnett Collection, Adelaide
Bottle in the Chinese style
Iran
Bottle, in the Chinese style 17th–early 18th centuries
probably Mashad or Kirman
frit body, underglaze decoration
28.0 cm (high)
V.K. Burmeister Bequest Fund 1962
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
the Yakob ‘Polonaise’ carpet
Iran
The Yakob ‘Polonaise’ carpet 1625–30
Isfahan region
silk pile with brocading in silver thread
266.5 x 164.0 cm
Gift of William Bowmore AO OBE through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation 2000
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide