Were one to describe THE piece which epitomizes the vase aesthetic of Suwa Sozan I, it would be this epochal Red Fish design flaring celadon bottle. This is a superlative example, exquisite detail and come enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 29.5 cm (11-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Suwa Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875...

Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original wooden box titled Kagyu-tsuki Take Kake-hana-ire (Bamboo Hanging Vase with Snail) bearing the Teishitsu Gigei-in Seal of the Imperial Art Academy signed inside “Sozan, with Amateur Skill” followed by the artists seal in red. It is 49 cm long and in excellent condition. The only other I have ever seen in this style is published in the rare 1971 book Suwa Sozan Sakuhin Shu page 59...

Here we see a Chinese style celadon floral bowl by one of the 5 Imperial Court Artists of Meiji. The potter, Sozan, spent his life perfecting techniques for celadon production first used in the Southern Song Dynasty as evidenced here with his powdery blue “kinuta” glaze...

A fine seji, celadon, and sometsuke style dish. In the early eighteenth century it would appear that this style of decoration was the preserve of the Nabeshima kiln. However in the Kyoho era during the Shogunates economy drive this style of porcelain was largely replaced with sometsuke patterns...

An Unusual Imari Teapot of compressed form with loop handle and upright spout, raised on three short legs. Decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gilt with a peony scroll. Japan 1700/20. Height; 3" (7.5 cm). Condition; shallow chips to end of spout, firing glaze flaw to side (image 3), cover with a 1.5 cm hairline

The size of Plate: 5 5/8" Dia x 1 1/16" High.
This is beautiful Japanese Ko Imari Porcelain plate with Dragon and Ho-O bird design intricately painted in deep cobalt blue. There is also the clouds and Ho-ju design. There is marking on the back of plate. The condition of plate excellent, no chip, no crack and no hairline. One little spot on the rim has thin blue paint as showing on the photo. The surface of blue and white glazing area painting has little raised finish. Dating from 1800-1830's...

The bowl and cover with moulded panels of shi-shi and botan, peony flowers. All against an underglaze blue karakusa ground. The cover is surmounted by a seated shi-shi.

Unusually, the coloured decoration appears to have been applied in Europe, not as ‘clobbering’ but in reserves left blank for just such painting...

Oliver Impey illustrates a coffee pot of the same form and design in ‘Japanese Export Porcelain, the catalogue of the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.’

Made for the European market during the last quarter of the 17th century and probably copied from a Dutch metal version. These coffee pots have a purpose-made opening in the lower body but taps seem to have been fitted upon arrival in Europe...

The decoration of flowers on this khendi has been reduced to the absolute minimum possibly denoting its destination as South East Asia where early exports from Arita were made.

Approximately 20cm high. Weight: 1.30 kg...

The dish is shaped in the form of a folded paper letter. Unusually it is decorated with a stenciled design of what appears to be a formal pattern of lightning behind an arrangement of stylised flowers. The back is simply decorated with pine needles.

Two dishes of very similar shape are illustrated in the Catalogue of the Shibata Collection, items 2604 and 2635, dated to 1690 ~ 1730.

Approximately 13.8cm wide. In fine condition...

Decorated with a carp diving in waterweed executed in typically thick and strongly hued enamels. The back similarly decorated with oysters and weed, the centre with a large Kutani mark.

The Yoshidaya kiln was a short-lived venture, situated in Yamashiro, intended to revive earlier Kutani-style wares. The founding investor was Toyota Denuemon IV (aka Sekio, lived 1751-1827), a businessman who used the professional name Yoshidaya...

This large plate was fired with no glaze at the first, and the second fired pictured traditional pattern with blue glaze and the third colored picture depicted 2 Chinese men of literary taste and children playing at the garden, and the last painted with gold. The seal mark ”大明成化年製”was used at the middle Edo period, Very gorgeous piece. One more piece with the same pattern we have. Size: 41.0cm(D) 4.8cm(H)

A Chinese style celadon incense burner by one of the 5 Imperial Court Artists of Meiji. Sozan spent his life perfecting techniques for celadon production first used in the Souther Song Dynasty as evidenced here with his powdery blue “kinuta” glaze. The bottom of the vessel is unglazed showing the fine porcelain clay and the adjacent glazed foot bears his Imperial Court Artist seal. While several of Sozan’s better known motifs appear on the market with a fair degree of regularity, this is t...

One of the most prominent potters of the Meiji period and one of only five to ever be appointed as Imperial Court Artist, the name Tozan is synonymous with fine porcelains including: Kyo-style tea and sake-wares, pieces for the western export market, distinctively home-grown Japanese motifs, and expertly crafted Chinese-style pieces such as the one seen here.

Apprenticed to Kameya Kyokutei, Tozan (1846-1920) took it upon himself to visit many kilns and to gain technique and advice ...

This large plate was fired with no glaze at the first, and the second fired pictured traditional pattern with blue glaze and the third colored picture depicted 2 Chinese men of literary taste and children playing at the garden, and the last painted with gold. The seal mark ”大明成化年製”was used at the middle Edo period, Very gorgeous piece. One more piece with the same pattern we have. Size: 41.0cm(D) 4.8cm(H)

This deep plate was fired with no glaze at the first, and the second fired pictured traditional pattern with blue glaze and the third colored picture depicted peachs and flowers, and the last painted with gold. Very sophisticated piece. Size: 28.8cm(D) 5.0cm(H)

Very rare large hexagonal plate. Turtles and cranes as the symbol of longevity in Japan are depicted with color and gold, it's very gorgeous. Size: 42.2cm(D) 4.0cm(H)

This plate was made in Arita porcelain area at middle Edo period. Arabesque with flowers at the center, 3 chinese phenixes, 6 dragons are pictured around with fine brush strokes and octopus arabesque with blue glaze. The seal mark"大明成化年製" is commonly seen at the middle Edo age. Size: 34.2cm (D) 5.0cm (H)