A pair of Imari ware soba choko (soba noodle dipping cups) from the mid-Edo Period (1600-1868,) porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue painted design of "tampopo" (dandelion) and "cho cho" (butterflies.) H.6cm, Dia. 8.5cm. Each cup has the dandelion pattern on front, and butterflies on back. The painting on these cups is wonderfully playful, and a fine example of the stylized brushstrokes of mingei (folk) wares...

Japanese Nabeshima Tree Branches Footed Dish

Description & Size: 5.84 x 20.32 x 11.43 cm (2.3" x 8" x 4.5") height & wide top & base

Age: Mid - Late 18th; Material: Porcelain; Production: Handcrafted

This is an exceptional Japanese nabeshima shallow bowl form & footed dish with lightly painted blue branches on white background. The back is painted blue with 3 flowers surrounded by blue foliage couple with painted blue comb border on the foot...

Ca. early 1800s

In the style of Okuda Eisen, possibly made in Kyoto at one of the Kiyomizu Kilns. One of a set of five or ten used for individual servings of sweets or other items in a tea ceremony context. Made from porcelain with thick overglaze green enamel and rapidly painted floral designs in red enamel. This style was popular in Kyoto in the late 1700s and 1800s, and was revived again in the 1900s...

An Arita serving bowl, namasu, of moulded simplified lotus form partially celadon glazed with a ko sometsuke style Sansui landscape in the well of the bowl framed by enamelled Chestnut branches outlined in gilt. The reverse plain and the interior of the foot-ring clear glazed. The bowl is typical of the output of the Higuchi kiln in the Nangawara valley which specialised in combing celadon and clear glazes...

Diameter approximately 32.5 cm. A chip at the rim. In good condition.

An unusual moulded dish decorated with swirling ribbon like Shonsui brocades alternating with depictions of the Shochikubai. The central Mikomi decorated with a floral motif of two stylised flowers surrounded by a broad band of alternating cartouches in kakiwake style with auspicious objects, Chinese and Japanese Fans and a Whisk, and Cranes. The dish has a fuchi beni, iron brown glazed rim with no pattern to the reverse...

An unusual rhomboid quadrilobed form dish decorated with a landscape of islands with Pagodas within a lake or estuarine setting conceivably a composition based on the “Eight views of the Xiao and the Xiang rivers”, Shosho hakkei. The design produced largely through the use of a stencil with additional applications of wash. The technique of using paper stencils, katagamni zuri, to reproduce patterns was also used at the Nabeshima kiln...

This is a colorful porcelain Japanese Imari plate centered with rising phoenix surrounded by blue and red diaper pattern and gilt accents and rims; rimmed with medallions on the reverse, late 19th century . Condition: Very good with a chip and small hairline at the rim. Measurement: 9" dia.

Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue Soba Choko, featuring a lovely land/seascape scene of mountains, willow tree, a hut, and the sea with boat sails and birds flying overhead. Average height 6cm, average diameter 7cm. Although soba choko are generally attributed to Arita kilns, by the late Edo-Early Meiji Period, they were also being made in Seto, as well as at kilns further north in Tohoku. These 5 cups all feature the same pattern and are all in good condition.

A very unusual large dish of conventional European metal form with a Kraak style fuyo-de pattern partially executed in underglaze blue the remainder painted in enamels. The central reserve decorated with hemp palms, shura, and cyclads, sotetsu, next to a body of water framed by a border of brocade lapets in enamels...

Exquisite fluted Imari vase containing intricate patterns of flowers and dragons.Flowers are painted in red and highlights of gold. The dragons are raised and painted in indigo blue. Age: Meiji Period circa 1880, Size: Diameter: 7.75" Height: 14.25"

Dated: 1906

Painted in thick overglaze enamels with a scene of fish with human bodies brandishing sticks at a large turtle-like creature. The base in inscribed in gold enamel with a date, a four-character seal and the English name, Thomas Bigelow written in katakana script. The date reads: Meiji 39 (1906), fourth month, tenth day. It is unusual to find specifically dated porcelains and particularly with an individual western name inscribed...

An interesting dish decorated with an Arita Kraak style export pattern, see Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging van vrienden van der Ceramiek nr 101/102 plate 29 for the almost identical pattern executed entirely in underglaze blue. However it would appear here made for domestic consumption in somenishikide style in a combination of underglaze blue and enamels. The shape is unusually deep with a flared rim...

A rather curious dish of moulded Kraak form decorated with a partially obscured Chinese four toed Dragon painted in underglaze cobalt blue with gilt outlined enamelled auspicious clouds framed by a band of stylised Chrysanthemum demi-florets...

Rare bowl with overglaze enamel ( polychrome ) decoration . Dehua ware from Fujian. Late Ming period. D : 3,4 inc. Minute rim fritting no chrack !

A long dish of elliptical form moulded with petals decorated with a dense hagi-karakusa ground and an oval reserve containing a simple flowering Apricot, ume, growing from a rock. The reverse decorated with Karakusa sprigs, and a spiral Fuku within a double square. The dish dates to the early Eighteenth century circa 1700-1740. The dish is in good condition with no chips, cracks or restoration. It measures 20.3cm in diameter, 10xm at its widest and stands 4.5cm high

A good quality Kakiemon type export plate decorated with a pair of Hoo birds on a rock with flowering bushes. The rim of the dish decorated with a “Birdes in Branches” arabesque with a rather crudely painted Chrysanthemum blooms with birds both sitting and with wings out-stretched. This pattern occurs both in Kakiemon type enamels and in this blue and white version. See Fine and Curious no 240, a blue and white teapot, at page 193...

A pair of Arita plates decorated in underglaze blues with enamels...

A square dish with canted corners decorated in Sometsuke style with a Peony mon to the centre made up of three stylised Peony blooms bound together with karakusa and four panels containing vignettes of a Dragon chasing a pearl, and waka matsu, young pine, set against a bank of snow with flower like snowflakes falling in the background. The rim decorated with a band of alternating double crested waves and flowers. The dish dates to the second quarter of the Eighteenth century. The reverse decora...

An attractively enamelled Kutani porcelain figure of a Geisha made in Japan for export circa 1890-1910. Condition: Good - there are, easily restored, minor losses to the black enamels; no chips or cracks and no repairs or restoration. 29.5cm (11.6inches) high.

日本明治时期(1868-1911) 九谷制艺妓瓷像
一件色彩鲜艳的日本九谷制Ŏ...

9" 19th century Kakiemon plates, slightly rounded, with blue flower baskets over blue underglaze. There are blue sprays on the undersides, each bears a Fuku mark.

Condition: Excellent, no chips, hairlines or repairs.

A rare Arita zhadou form sake cup warmer. These unusually shaped vessels following the form of zhadou, Chinese lays jar, were used for the warming of sake cups, and as flower vases. The form of these cup warmers seem to follow Chinese Song precedents, an example of the Japanese preference for more classical Chinese forms, rather than later Ming and Qing examples, which characteristically have much wider openings. This particular example dates to around the Genroku period circa 1690-1710 and is d...

The plate is decorated in late Ming Kraak “fuyo-de” style with a pattern of alternating panels of flowers, Chrysanthemums and Camellias, with Precious objects, interspersed with pendant Lozenge motifs. The central mikomi framed by a narrow atypical floral band depicts an oversized figure holding a rod standing upon a bridge with two oxen set in a classic Chinese “sansui” landscape’. The reverse decorated with a classic Kraak reverse pattern of the transitional Ming period. The figu...

A good early Arita Ewer of European form, probably derived from a German stoneware precedent, and decorated in the style of Chinese Transitional export ware with a repeating pattern of bands of Birds and flowers. The jug stands 21.5cm and is in good condition with no chips or restorations, a short trivial hairline to the rim and to the handle, see image no 5. These are usually dated to the period 1660-80. See The Voyage of Old Imari Porcelains No 132 for a Jug of similar form and decoration ther...

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl, with blue gourds hanging from a vine and two red flower buds with gilt pigment accents on the stem and around the bowl's rim. Blue butterflies decorate the outer edge and "comb" design along foot. Provenance sticker from Japanese antique dealer Shiota in San Francisco. 19th century. Size: 6" diameter, 1.5" height

Japanese ko-sometsuke porcelain nagazara (tray form dish) with scalloped corners. With creative blue underglaze depiction of pine boughs and cones in and centered within double lined blue rectangle by the cavetto. The sides with decoration of a literati scroll with berried vines. A narrow key fret band adorns along the outside of the foot rim. A six character mark appears inside the rectangular foot rim. This strongly potted and decorated piece exhibits freedom of expression not bridled by repet...

Ca. early 1800s

This porcelain dish is in the shape of an abalone shell with underglaze blue and overglaze enamel decoration. It is raised on a low footring with an underglaze blue four character mark reading, “Made in the Great Ming.” There is minor glaze wear to the interior and minor firing flaws. There are no cracks or restorations.

Length: 6 3/8 in., Width: 5 3/8 in., Height: 1 ¼ in.

Beautiful Japanese blue and white imari charger depicting Sho Chiku Bai or the "Three Friends of Late Winter" namely the plum, the pine and the bamboo. Includes metal stand. Age: Meiji Perido (c.1900). Size: 21.25" diameter.

A dish decorated with a partially painted and stencilled dragon amongst lightning bolts framed by a double ring within a band of stencilled Wan diaper band to the rim. The reverse painted with three stencil and wash auspicious gobenka with karakusa motifs, and a six character mark nien hao for the Chinese Emperor Chenghua. This is an early example of the use of katagami stencils, a technique borrowed from textiles, apparently particularly associated with the Hikeoba and Sarugawa kilns, but a...

A very finely painted Arita ring shaped wagata-bako porcelain box. It was probably used to contain cosmetics, possibly an Oshiroi-bako, used to contain white face powder. The cover is decorated in Shonsui style with a ring of maru-mon, brocade roundels incorporating the three friends of winter, Shochikubai, Pine, Bamboo and Plum blossom. The underside of the box is decorated with a karahana arabesque. The interior of both the top half and the lower half of the box decorated with wild flowers. Da...

A rare square dish, kaku-zara, of cushion fom made in the early 18th century for Export to Europe. It is decorated in the centre with a classic kacho-ga motif of Chrysanthemums and Butterflies, and the border is painted with hosoge-mon, stylised floral motifs, reserved within a blue and gilt brocade ground with further stylised floral motifs. The dish is decorated in a kinsai palette of blue, gold and iron red wash. Dating circa 1700-30. The reverse decorated with Iris and Plum sprays, and an ...

A pair of Chinese porcelain bowls decorated with peonies. The bowl contains a short poetic inscription which generally states: As if (one is) cherishing the beautiful, likewise at the moment (the flowers) are displaying its colors. The bottom of the bowl contains a mark reading, Yongzheng Nianxing. Age: Republic Period. Size: diameter: 4.3" height 2"

Vibrant shades of red, blue, gold and green were used to paint this mid Edo period Ko-Imari kendi. 9.5" x 6.75", it is in excellent condition with no chips, hairlines or repairs.

A large shallow bowl decorated in Kenjo Imari style with a central motif of a leaping Shishi with a peony branch framed by n under-glaze blue wave border with an elaborate diaper brocade ground inset with “S” and “C” scroll shaped reserves containing floral motifs, including Camelias, and peach form stylised Shou medallions in iron red and gilt framed by a further diaper border in under-glaze blue. A wide range of enamels are used in the design, yellow, aubergine, turquoise and dark gree...

An Arita long dish of sampan form somewhat deeper and narrower than usually found. Painted with an idealised Chinese style landscape incorporating the elements of water and land. The cavetto painted with stylised lotus flowers enmeshed within a Hagi-karakusa, Bush clover vine arabesque. Gobenka with karakusa motifs to the sides of the dish, and a similar auspicious Lozenge (one of the Eight Precious objects) with karakusa at each end. A four character fukichosun mark to the interior of the foo...

Imari ware bowls for serving small amounts of food were known as "kurowanka." These bowls feature a "sansui" land & sea scape scene in underglaze cobalt blue on a porcelain body. Each piece is in god condition with individual measurements of H.4cm X Dia.15cm.

An amusing netsuke form model of a mischievous monkey dressed as a Manzai dancer based on an Ivory model of the late Edo period. The figure is crisply modelled, the head partially bisque with cobalt blue and iron brown glaze applied to the head dress and flowing robes. Both the head and the long tongue are separately modelled from the base. Sarumiwashi, trained monkeys were a popular form of entertainment in Japan, and also performed as part of Shinto rituals relating to the New Year. The netsuk...

A very large Chinese porcelain wucai enameled ewer or wine pot of compressed ovoid form with cover decorated with an overall brocade pattern composed of hexagonal cells each containing an enamelled four petal flower inset with two large reserves containing respectively Camelias and Rocks, and Flowering Plum and Rocks. The body of the ewer is comparatively thinly potted, and the handle and spout are simply luted to the body with slip. The ewer was made for the Japanese market. Such highly decorat...

Japanese Meiji Period Imari Vase beautifully rendered in perfect condition. Scrolling vine wrapped around the neck of the vase. Vibrant orange and reds with fine gold coloring detailing the peony flowers. Cartouche on bottom. Size: 16.625" Height x 6.5" Diameter.

A good Arita sometsuke style dish probably from one of the favoured inner set of kilns at Arita, the so-called Uchiyama kilns. The dish is decorated with a border of stylised waves, painted in reverse style, with a single branch of a Camelia Tree in the centre. The underside of the dish decorated with a pair of sketchily painted Gourd vines. For an identical dish see no 216 of the Shibata Collection Part II at page 87. There dated circa 1660-80. The dish measures approximately 18.1 cm in diam...

Japanese Imari Figure of a Leaping Carp. The moulded scaled body with blue and iron red colouring. C1700/40. Height 11.6 cm. Condition: excellent, no cracks, chips or restoration.

A Japanese Imari chocolate cup, cover and saucer made for export to the European market dating to the early 18th century. Decorated with a rich Imari style ground of stylised palmate leaves and Peony blooms inset with ogee form reserves with Chinese style estuarine landscapes. An overlapping lotus petal border to the base of the beaker in underglaze blue The saucer and beaker are in excellent condition. The cover has been broken but has been cleanly re-stuck creating an almost invisible repair....

Magical, richly sculpted and beautifully formed Pair of Blue Kutani Porcelain Cats. Meiji Period. 8 inches (20cm) high.

A fine mid 18th century Arita scalloped form dish decorated with a pattern celebrating the arrival of Spring containing the traditional motifs, ume ni uguisu, Japanese Nightingales and a flowering Japanese Apricot (Plum tree), and Botan, Peonies, traditional harbingers of Spring combined in an imaginary landscape with a fingers of brocade intended to suggest spring mists, kasumi. The dish would date to the period 1740-60, and would appear to be the precedent for the so-called “Thumb and Fing...

A late Eighteenth century hexagonal form drinking cup painted with panels of Birds with various flowers, Chrysanthemums, Persimmon and Peach flowers with accompanying panels of reverse. The kacho-ga paintings are exceptionally well painted. The interior of the cup painted with a band of flowering Camellia and Peaches set against a dark blue ground. The bottom of the bowl decorated with further a pair of Camelias, and Peach branches. A four character Chenghua reign mark to the interior of the fo...

A good quality five colour Imari deep bowl decorated with a meandering arabesque of double headed Peach flowers. The interior decorated with boughs of the same, and the base decorated with a Clove motif in green enamel (Oliver Impey identifies this as a Daikon). The bowl measures 8 inches 20.5cm in diameter and is in good condition, some slight frits to the rim, no crack, chips or restoration, some slight losses to the enamels. English Provenance. Shipping at Cost

A rare pair of miniature vases of hexagonal baluster form vases with the elegant proportions typical of the early eighteenth century c.1700-1720. Each vertical compartment decorated with flowers, chrysanthemums, pinkes and peonies. These belong to a class of porcelain that can be best described as toyes, small novelty collectables. The vases measure approximately 11.5cms (4.5 inches in height) in height and 5.5cms in diameter. The interiors are unglazed. One is in good condition with no cracks ...

Japanese Blue and White Ewer with a loop handle. Decorated in the Chinese Transitional style with figures on a terrace. Arita C1670/80. Height 8 1/4" (20.8cm). Condition; some glaze crazing mainly to foot.

A fine Arita soba choku decorated with Chrysanthemums within ogee form reserves set against an aka-e kinrande ground dating to the middle of the Eighteenth century The interior decorated with a diaper band to the rim and a go-ben ka to the bottom of the cup. The base of the cup decorated with a spiral fuku within a double square. The cup is in excellent condition with no cracks, chips or restoration. It measures 9.5cm in diameter and stands 7cm in height. Shipping at Cost

An Arita dish in Kakiemon style dating to the period 1670-90 decorated in Shikishi Chirashi style with “Shikishi”, shaped poem cards which were used for the composing of both Poems and Small Paintings ,scattered, chirashi, over an asymmetric arrangement of Kara Kusa with Baika, plum flowers. The paintings depicting clouds and a hermit’s refuge. The design is quite austere almost in wabi sabi taste . The reverse decorated with a classic lotus scroll ring and a six character mark for the Ch...

Japanese Arita blue and white plate, decorated with an insect on a rock, within a scrolling floral border. L17thC. Dia.8 1/4" (20.9cm). Condition: excellent, no damage.

An attractive Arita finely fluted small bowl well painted predominately in gilt and iron red with two phoenix in a rocky landscape and with floral scrollwork. C1700. Diameter 10.8cm. Condition: perfect, very little wear to gilding, no chips, cracks or restoration

A fine quality five colour Arita shallow saucer dish decorated with Cherry branches and storm waves, arashi-nami, awash with fallen rafts of cherry blossom. Presumably the design is a play on the words nami, wave, and hannami, cherry viewing, and the design derived from a contemporary or earlier textile pattern. The reverse of the dish simply decorated with cherry blossom. Dating early Eighteenth century, circa 1700-20. The dish is in good condition with no cracks chips or restoration. The dish ...

A set of five drinking cups, choko, that are decorated with a pattern of underglaze blue bifurcated pines set against a ground of iron red bamboo leaves, with an irregular cloud shaped reserve containing a gilt and iron red prunus tree with a pine bark lozenge superimposed containing a stylised cherry blossom motif set against a seeded green ground. The interior of the cups decorated with a single band of diaper and a tri-form mon with flowering branches to the well of the cup. Although these...

An intriguing set of five small dishes kozara decorated in kakiwake sometsuke style with a design of three Chinese boys, karako, manoeuvring a large snow ball, set within a yukiwa snow flake shaped reserve framed by a band of plum blossom set against a dark blue ground. The design is a variant of the “One hundred boys playing” pattern popular on Chinese porcelain from at least the Yongle period. The immediate source of the design would appear to be taken from a woodblock polychrome prin...

A rather curious dish produced at the Shida kiln in Arita made for the Japanese domestic market that contains a rebus and the mon for the famous Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo V, who was described as having the eye balls of a fresh Lobster from his characteristic wide eyed acting performances. It was presumably made for sale as a souvenir at the theatre. The design contains a rebus on his adopted name Ebizo, Ebi, a shrimp or lobster, and the three square rice boxes or measures, are representations...

Japanese Arita Blue and White Large Dish. Decorated with a deer standing in a landscape. L17thC Diameter 12.5" (31.7cm). Condition; good, some crazing to glaze especially to rear. Frit to rim.

A nice quality Ko Imari bowl decorated with three ogee shaped niches containing a stylised Lotus motif against an iron red ground inset against a diaper brocade ground over painted in light gilt with a figure of a Daoist immortal carrying a pine bough over his or her shoulder. The conventionalised pose of the figure is similar to He Xiangu, who carries a Lotus in a similar manner; the only female member of the Baxian. The bowl is further decorated with a band of scrolling kara kusa, incorporatin...

A large Japanese Imari dish of saucer form with slightly everted rim decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gilding with a central motif of a vase on a verandah containing an arrangement of Peony and Chrysanthemum flowers. The cavetto of the dish decorated with an underglaze blue brocade ground inset with three lobed reserves containing Hydrangea, Ajisai, Chrysanthemums, Kiku, and Peonies, Botan. The reverse decorated with three Peony sprigs to the reverse. The dish dates to the period 1700-...

A finely moulded Arita dish the upper third painted with a simple landscape containing a flowering Japanese Apricot, ume, symbolic of Winter partially “obscured” by the rim of the dish and Bell flowers, kikyo, Gentian, symbolic of Autumn. The remaining lower portion decorated with a stencilled, katagami, brocade pattern of hexagonal diaper with florets. The edge of the dish has a thickly applied dark iron brown glaze. The reverse decorated with a classic lotus scroll and a six character Ch...