A rare Ko Imari rice bowl and cover decorated with European figures in a garden landscape one bald and holding a vase and the other with a broad rimed hat and a walking cane. The interior of both the bowl and the cover painted with a diaper band with demi-florets and an image of a “Dolphin” on a raised roundel. Both the cover and the bowl are quite delicately potted and the enamelling and painting is of a very high standard. The palette which includes a semi-opaque light green and blue com...

Crackle glaze baluster vase with decoration of flowers and scrolls in panels in the Imari palette: underglaze blue, iron red and gilt. The vase is heavy, with thick walls and a wide band around the foot. Japanese, Edo c 1720. Height "7 2/3 / 19.5cm. Condition: the mouth rim ground (the vase might have had a metal fitting) and there is a faintly yellow shade to part of the shoulder (no restoration).

An unusual shallow Japanese porcelain plate (#1) decorated with confronting dragons, one in blue and gold, the other gold and red. The plain back with 5 neat spur marks.

Arita porcelain, circa 1750 ~ 1780.

Approximately 18.7 cm diameter. Fine condition with only slight wear to the gold.

Please study the photographs.

Within the UK payment by bank transfer is preferred.

Customers resident in China must make arrangements to pay by International Bank Tr...

An Arita abalone (Mother of Pearl) shaped dish painted in somenishikide style with a stylised landscape of Mountainous Islands, a shoreline with rocky outcrops with various trees including Pine, flowers and grasses with a rather peculiar and precarious structure in the foreground seemingly lacking several posts in its construction. The reverse decorated with landscape vignettes to the reverse and a six character mark for the Chinese Emperor Qianlong. It dates to the Horeki era of the Mid-E...

A fine large straight sided Japanese Ko Imari cup, inoguchi, or hogs mouth beaker; sometimes referred to as “soba choko”, a cup for “soba” buckwheat noodles. It is decorated primarily in underglaze blue with a leaping Chinese Lion or karashishi in a landscape of rocks and Tree Peonies, botan, a classic subject in Japanese art known as “Botan-ni-Shishi”, which combines the auspicious qualities of the King of Beasts and King of Flowers. A motif considered to be emblematic of the Sa...

An Arita dish decorated entirely with a dense arabesque of trailing bush clover vine and leaf with flowers, lotuses. This design belongs to a class of designs called hosoge which ultimately derive from Chinese patterns of the Tang period. This particular form, popular from the seventeenth century, features Bush Clover, Hagi one of the auspicious akikusa-de, and is known as Hagi Karakusa, where karakusa means Chinese (literally Tang) grasses. This type of design would have required great dexteri...

An Arita dish decorated entirely with a dense arabesque of trailing bush clover vine and leaf with flowers, lotuses These belong to a class of design called hosoge which ultimately derive from Chinese patterns of the Tang period. This particular form popular from the seventeenth century features Bush Clover, Hagi one of the auspicious akikusa-de, and is known as Hagi Karakusa, where karakusa means Chinese (literally Tang) grasses. This type of design would have required great dexterity and skil...

A nagazara of conventional rectangular form decorated somenishikide style, a combination of underglaze blue, sometsuke, and, nishikide, enamelled decoration. Nishiki literally means brocade. In this case a dense diaper pattern made up of repeating and contrasting cells of Karahana against an iron red ground and five petal flowers, presumably, ume hana, Plum flowers against a striated green ground, usually used to suggest pine needles. Inset within the brocade ground niche shaped reserves with st...

A nagazara of conventional rectangular form decorated somenishikide style, a combination of underglaze blue, sometsuke, and, nishikide, enamelled decoration. Nishiki literally means brocade. In this case a dense diaper pattern made up of repeating and contrasting cells of Karahana against an iron red ground and five petal flowers, presumably, ume hana, Plum flowers against a striated green ground, usually used to suggest pine needles. Inset within the brocade ground niche shaped reserves with st...

A fine Kakiemion dish painted in sometsuke style with a Fuyo-de pattern with four landscape vignettes in European style adapted from a Delft original attributed to Fredrick van Frytom (see image no 6) which in turn provided elements of the so-called Deshima or Scheveningen with contrasting panels of stylised Peonies, Botan karakusa. A central motif of wreath form composed of Pomegranates. The reverse decorated with karakusa, trailing lotus vine, and a spiral fuku, good luck, mark within a double...

A nagazara or long dish of bean-pod form, a very unusual shape, decorated with auspicious un-ryu, dragons and clouds, in its central reserve, surrounded by Matsu-fuji, entwined Pine branches and Wisteria vine, a traditional Japanese motif associated with longevity. The reverse decorated with further auspicious Dragons and precious objects, cash and scrolls with flaming pearls. Within the footrim and to the base of the dish a four character fukichosun mark signifying a wish for a long and prosper...

An Arita porcelain small bowl with barbed lotus style lobed rim, a namasu, typically used in Japanese cuisine to serve various pickles. Potted in mid 17C transitional Chinese style without a foot-rim as such, but an unglazed ring, kodai. The interior of the bowl painted in ko-sometsuke style. One half painted with Su Shi’s “First Ode to the Red Cliffe”, divided into twelve columns reading from right to left. The stanza is not complete with several columns of characters missing at the end ...

Chinese Export Porcelain Chinese Imari pattern Tea Bowl and Saucer, Ca. mid to late 1700's, 2 7/8" high & 1 5/8" diameter-tea bowl, 4 7/8" diameter, 1? high-saucer, divided into 4 sections, alternate with underglaze blue and overglaze enamel iron red floral decoration, with some gold highlight. It is in good condition, no damages.

Japanese Imari Porcelain Barber Bowl, or Shaving bowl, Ca. Edo period, between late 1700's to early 1800's, 10 5/8" diameter-top rim, 2 5/8" high, typical Imari color of underglaze blue between three(3) cartouche of Japanese garden fence scene decoration around wide rim in overglaze iron red, blue urn filled with bouquet of flowers in the entire center, some of the iron red enamel is worn in the middle caused by many years of usage. Gold highlights on the leaves on the wide rim is somewhat worn...

An interesting Japanese Arita saucer form dish decorated in a transitional style incorporating elements of the Kakiemon style, notably the asymmetric elements within the reserves to the outer rim of the dish, with Katamono style motifs dating to the late 17th century or early 18th century and made for the domestic market. For a more sophisticated version of this type of design in Katamono style dated 1680-1700 see Shibata Volume II no 422. The dish probably date from the period 1690-1710. The ...

An interesting Japanese Arita saucer form dish decorated in a transitional style incorporating elements of the Kakiemon style, notably the asymmetric elements within the reserves to the outer rim of the dish, with Katamono style motifs dating to the late 17th century or early 18th century and made for the domestic market. For a more sophisticated version of this type of design in Katamono style dated 1680-1700 see Shibata Volume II no 422. The dish probably date from the period 1690-1710. The ...

Japanese Imari Porcelain Leaf Shape dish, late Meiji or early Showa, 1940, 6 1/4" x 6 1/2" wide, 3/4" high, very simple beautifully overglaze enamel Japanese Garden, Plum trees in early spring, Irish in summer, Chrysanthemum flowers in fall and Bamboo in winter, 4 seasons design above broad leaf on the bottom. The condition is good.

A good quality large Japanese porcelain mug or tankard decorated in under-glaze blue with iron red, green and yellow enamels with Peonies and Chrysanthemums. It weighs 444 grams and has a capacity of over a Pint. It stands 15.5cm high and has a mouth diameter of 7.8cm, foot-ring diameter of 7cm and a body diameter of approximately 10cm. Tankards with a letter “B” are not unknown, they appear on mugs with applied floral applique, but examples of this plain form do not seem to appear in the ma...

A Japanese porcelain wine ewer or Chosi of cylindrical form decorated in underglaze blue with alternating horizontal bands of flowers (auspicious gobenka)and pinnate leaves (resembling Asters). The design perhaps influenced by the Chinese Aster pattern of the Kangxi period and the later, Mid Qing, provincial Chrysanthemum pattern (see the Desaru Wreck). The ewer dates to the first half of the 19th Century. The Chosi measures 10.5cm in diameter and stands 15cm high. The foot-ring measures 7cm. ...

A good quality Japanese vase and cover decorated with scrolling Octopus-vine patterns almost entirely covering the body of the vase and cover. Probably Arita in origin. The vase dates to the early 19th Century and the late Edo period. The vase stands 26cm high, including the cover, and has a diameter of 15cm. The foot-ring measures 8cm. The vase weighs 1445 grams in total. The condition is good no cracks, chips or restoration to the body. There is a crack to the rim of the cover (see images)....

Height: 12.4 cm (5 in)
Width: 6.1 cm (2.5 in)

Quality Chinese Kangxi Period imari silver topped bottle; vase converted to a storage bottle in the 18th century; lobed base with fluted neck; arched panels with floral and Elisa decoration; tiny flake to fluted edge; original silver and cork fittings; artemisia leaf mark; good condition

A large porcelain barbed bowl decorated with flowers, birds, fingered citrons, bamboo and other motifs with famille rose enamel and gilt in Imary style. 18th century, Kangxi period. Condition: glaze scratches, enamel and gilt losings; rim glaze bursts as commonly seen on Kangxi wares, plus a few small glaze chips on the rim and one very short kiln crack. Please study photos for condition details. Additional photos will be provided upon requested. Diameter: 11-1/2".

An impressive large shallow dish of foliate form decorated with a pair of auspicious Hoo birds with Kiri (Pawlonia) painted principally in underglaze blue which trail over the rim on to the reverse of the dish; an “over the wall pattern”. Set against swirling panels of various brocades, aka-e kinrande, hosoge-mon with vine in gilt inset within an iron red ground, a ground of four petal flowers, karahana, in contrasting, blue, yellow and aubergine enamels and iron red ground sometimes refe...

A large pair of decorative vases painted with a pattern of stylised peonies in underglaze blue and gilt set against an iron red ground. The vases are of compressed mallet shaped form with wasted body and flared mouth, a form used at the Fukugawa factory from the late 19th century onwards. Probably early 20th century in date. The vases weigh respectively 2.152kg and 2.016kg and stand 29cmand 28.7cm high. Diameter at the top of the vase 12.7cm, at their widest point 20cm (shoulder) and at the b...

A set of two Japanese porcelain cups and saucers with fine decoration in the Imari palette, underglaze blue, iron red and abundantly gold. Cups with a blossom mark. Condition: fine, saucers with kiln grit residue. Dimension: cup: c. 7.1 diameter, 4.6 cm high, saucer: c. 12.2 cm diameter, 2.3 cm high.

A pair of large Japanese porcelain dishes, beautifully decorated in five colors: underglaze blue, overglaze black, -green, -aubergine, iron red and gold. Showing an asymetrical design of a courtesan with her servant under a cherry tree, the right side with flowers. The back with auspicious emblems, the base with spur marks and an underglaze blue apocryphal "Ming Jiajing" mark. Provenance: Swiss private collection. Dimension: diameter 27.5cm, 3.5 cm high. Condition: partial some wear tho the colo...

A small Kutani porcelain pitcher beautifully painted in Mokubei style with two cartouches containing a mountainous landscape and a group of rakan among karakusa pattern. Base signed Kutani. Condition: little wear to enamels and gold, spout with a short firing crack (3 mm please see photo no. 9). Dimension: 9.5 cm high.

A substantial large Japanese Imari covered bowl with a tear drop finial decorated principally in underglaze blue with a Chrysanthemum vine arabesque overlaid with poem card, shikishi, shaped reserves of peach and rectangular form. The peach shaped reserves containing leaping Karashishi and rock Peonies and the rectangular shaped reserves a red ground with stylised Chrysanthemums. These rather striking bolder designs, which reflect Japanese contemporary taste, date to the period 1720-50. T...

An abalone shaped dish decorated in underglaze blue with trailing Clematis vine, Tessen. The dish is in “Ko Sometsuke” style based on porcelain specifically produced in China for the Japanese market in the first half of the seventeenth century made to Japanese specifications. The abalone form was considered especially auspicious, as noshi, dried awabi strips, were formally presented with gifts. It would have been particularly suitable as a gift to one of Samurai rank, as the word noshi was a...

An abalone shaped dish decorated in underglaze blue with trailing Clematis vine, Tessen. The dish is in “Ko Sometsuke” style based on porcelain specifically produced in China for the Japanese market in the first half of the seventeenth century and made to Japanese specifications. The abalone form was considered especially auspicious, as noshi, dried awabi strips, were formally presented with gifts. It would have been particularly suitable as a gift to one of Samurai rank, as the word noshi w...

A hexagonal moulded small bowl or mukuzuke decorated with alternating panels of Buddhist Lions and Peonies painted in a limited three colour palette of iron red, green and yellow enamels and a Camelia flower to the interior of the bowl based on a Chinese wucai pattern of the late Ming period. A cheerful auspicious pattern celebrating the season of spring. The Buddhist lions rendered as playful characters rather than as fierce guardians. A mukuzuke of round form with everted rim with an almost i...

A pair of rice bowls with their accompanying covers cum sauce dishes dating from the late 18th century to the early 19th century decorated entirely in enamels with gilding. Their exterior is decorated with a turquoise green brocade ground intended to simulate a Chinese enamelled scrafitto pattern of the period. The design of the bowls including the marumon elements is strongly influenced by contemporary Chinese porcelain, although the iconography and style of painting is distinctly Japanese. ...

An interesting pair of Japanese Arita saucer form dishes decorated in a transitional style incorporating elements of the Kakiemon style, notably the asymmetric elements within the reserves to the outer rim of the dish, with Katamono style motifs dating to the late 17th century or early 18th century made for the domestic market. For a more sophisticated version of this type of design in Katamono style dated 1680-1700 see Shibata Volume II no 422. These dishes probably date from the period 1690-17...

A rice bowl and its accompanying cover cum small sauce dish dating from the late 18th century to the early 19th century decorated entirely in enamels with gilding. The exterior of the bowl and cover are decorated with a turquoise green brocade ground which is intended to simulate a Chinese enamelled scrafitto pattern of the period. The design of the whole bowl including the marumon elements is strongly influenced by contemporary Chinese porcelain, although the iconography and style of painting i...

A rare, attractively enamelled, figure of the Bodhisattva and Japanese "Goddess of Mercy", Kannon.. Unusually, she is seated on a large boulder inhabited by a writhing white glazed dragon. This item was made in Japan in the Meiji period, during the 19th or early 20th Century Condition: two very minor losses - a chip to one of the dragon's horns and a small chip to the bottom of the dragon's tail. 24 cm / 9.5 inches high. For additional pictures, please view our Liverpool shop ...

A Japanese tea-bowl and saucer of small “cha-sen” proportions decorated with a pair of Doves, symbols both in Europe and Japan, of marital fidelity, and a pair of small beakers with barbed lotus form rims decorated in a similar palette with reserves containing brocade patterns and a small boat set against a shore, as well as flowering prunus and other plants. The beakers have auspicious four character fukichosun marks to the base. The beakers measure approximately in 7.7cm in diameter and s...