Fan with View of Foreign Factories at Canton, 1790-1800 Peabody Essex Museum 2007 Photo Jeffrey R. Dykes.jpg
The American flag indicates that the scene we see on the bowl depicts a view from 1784 onward as the United States entered into direct trade with China in 1784 and there were no Americans in Canton in 1785.[cf p.34] Here is another example: a Chinese ivory fan with an overview of foreign factories in Canton that also depicts the same national flags.[cf] The position of the flags on the fan match those on the punch bowl.
