A good sized Imari porcelain bowl. Blue underglaze cobalt and Red, green, aubergine and gold overglaze enamel decoration. Good decorative impact. A "crows foot" crack inside the foot is stable and barely at all visible inside the bowl. Minor enamel losses. Diameter, 10 1/8 in. Height 3 3/4 in.

An unusual and fun pair of Arita (certainly Hizen ware) porcelain plates. The decoration of Shishi lions among clouds and over active sea executed entirely in polychrome overglaze enamels: blue-green, mustard-yellow, persimmon-red, aubergine, black and traces of gold enamel. The clear glaze pools to a faint blue tinge most notably around the foot. Good condition. One 8 3/8 inches (cm) the other 8 1/2 inches (cm) diameter. At least 19th century.

An attractive Japanese blue and white porcelain soba choko with banana leaf, fence and chidori in mist decoration supported by single blue line all over double blue line. The inside rim with blue and white fret band and the bottom inside with a single flower within double blue line. The glazed foot ring surrounding a wide, unglazed band centering a recessed, glazed center. The white glaze very slightly blue tinged. The decoration exhibits some of those peculiarly Japanese qualities we have also come to very much appreciate in tsuba. Good condition. Early 19th to late 18th century. Height 2 1/2 inches (6.35cm). Diameter 3 3/8 to 3 1/2 inches (8.57 to 8.89 cm)

A fine Japanese blue and white porcelain soba choko with decoration of prunus blossoms on branches rising above an active with breaking waves all over a comb pattern on double blue lines above the foot. A fret band decoration appears inside the foliate shaped rim and a flower head within double blue ring adorns the bottom inside. The clear glaze pools to a lovely pale celadon tone above the prunus and sea decoration and in a glazed recess centered inside the glazed foot ring and broad unglazed band. Uniquely Japanese design elements successfully portray the ephemeral qualities of sakura blossoms against the foil of a rythmic, eroding sea. Appreciating the moment. Good condition: A couple small points of distress on the foot rim appearing to be quite stable and possibly dating to the moment of firing. Early 19th to late 18th century. Height 2 5/8 inches (6.67cm). Diameter 3 1/2 to 3 5/8 inches (8.89 to 9.2 cm)

This vase is very unusual in form and decoration. Of tripart form, three elongated egg form vases (with everted rims on one end) are joined together in the kiln as a single, large complex vessel - the rounded (and glazed) bottoms unable to hold only one of the vases upright but stable when together forming three feet. One part with bird in flowering shrub decorated reserve on pink flower and vine ground with blue, yellow, aubergine, green, black, white moriage and gold enamel details. Another part with figures picknicking in landscape decorated reserve on aubergine and white enamel flower and vine ground. The third part with travelers in landscape decorated reserve on blue flower and vine ground with blue, yellow, black and aubergine details and successful tromp l'oeil affect with gold enamel highlights. The background decoration of the three parts continue cohesively from one part to the other with only the colors changing. The three parts bound with a blue enameled porcelain rope with bow knots between each part. The rims with green and black enamel decoration and chocolate brown enamel at the top. The colors suggest Kutani. The form suggests something more imaginative as might be encountered in Fukagawa design books. Condition is good and presentable but with a couple minor glaze flaws dating to production, some crazing, and a curious, inconspicuous potrusion on the underside where the three parts meet and were it could serve little to no decorative purpose - not visible when standing on a table top. That potrusion is glazed green but with an unglazed end where apparently broken off. This leaves questions of what form it took, how long it extended, or what purpose it served. If the vase was not resting on its rim in the kiln (which does not appear to have been the case) then perhaps this green glazed protrusion was a temporary support allowing the rounded vase bottoms to be glazed and fired - the support broken off near the convergence of the three parts after firing, much like the pontil on blown glass. Height, 9 3/4 inches (24.765 cm)

A fine and early museum quality complete set of five Ko-Imari, Kakiemon style cups or choko. Blue underglaze and green, red, aubergine, yellow and black overglaze enamel decoration of peonies and prunus blossoms in garden landscape with rockery and fence. Traces of rubbed gilt enameled highlights. The choko form saw many uses such as teabowls (also seen in early European ceramics after Japanese examples of the period), large sake cups, and mukozuke. We estimate from the delicate but sure potting, the free hand but care of painted decoration, and color of enamels that these cups are Genroku era - late 17th to early 18th century. Each with blue underglaze spurious six character Chenghua mark in single blue circle inside a narrow ring foot. Very good condition considering age and use with expected light scratching to surfaces from use over the centuries and minor imperfections as would be expected from the period. One with an attractive, old gold lacquer filled stable line from the rim - that bowl also rendering a pleasant resonance when lightly tapped. Diameters are not perfect circles but longest length of each is nearly 4 inches diameter (about 10.15 cm). Height (and foot diameters) similarly varies near 2 1/2 inches (6.35 cm). We acquired this set with an old, labeled tomobako in which we continue to store the cups. The label reads "Ko-Imari choko go kyaku, inokuchi" (the last term, inokuchi, referring to the possible use of this five piece set as sake choko.) The box (missing its top) apparently having started its life with the cups, it is understood that the cups are earlier.

Two small Japanese porcelain dishes used for small side servings or morsels - both decorated with blue underglaze and polychrome overglaze enamels. One with asymmetric floral decoration and gilt foliate rim and spurious Chenghua mark inside the foot. The other octagonal with dragon decoration in the cavetto surrounded by flowering karakusa enclosed within alternating red and blue panels and the verso with geometric patterns. Both about 4 inches (10.16 cm) in diameter and almost 1 inch (2.5 cm) in height. Good condition.

A fine pair Seiji (celadon) blue and white Arita or Imari mamezara (small dishes used for side servings or morsels.) Celadon with blue and white decoration is often seen in Nabeshima production from which these plates may take inspiration. The cavetto of each, within a celadon band, with blue underglaze decoration of a herder playing a flute while astride an ox backwards. The verso with alternating floral and grass sprays decoration and faint blue tinge outside the foot. Zen (and Chinese 'Chan') Buddhism relates the taming of one's mind as to a wild ox. And when one's ego and self are in harmony, it is compared to effortlessly riding a tamed ox home as in the depiction on these plates. Much poetry and art commentary has been made on the topic. That the subject might be used on mukozuke may not be surprising considering Zen influence on the Tea Ceremony. Good condition. A little kiln grit adhering to the foot rim of each. Diameter 3 9/16 inches (9.05 cm)

Two good Arita blue and white mamezara. One rare mokko-gata form with Namban decoration of a foreigner in landscape falconing and with a hunting dog in a square reserve enclosed within a band of reversed out (or negative) decoration of white cranes and clouds on a blue background, the verso with a narrow band of cloud decoration also on a blue background and with faint celadon pooling along the foot rim (fair to good condition but two small chips inside the foot rim and a small glaze abrasion just above the foot rim) about 3 15/16 inches (10 cm) square. The other Kraak style with chocolate glazed foliate rim and liberally applied cobalt blue decorated eight panels with bird and flower alternating with lotus motif surrounding a similarly decorated central roundel, the verso also with 8 flower decorated panels around the foot centering a spurious Chenghua mark (good condition with a little kiln grit inside the foot) about 4 inches (10.15 cm) diameter. Some Kakiemon production (also with chocolate brown rim and clean white body and glaze) copied the Kraak style.

A Kutani porcelain male and female couple of Mandarin or Wood Ducks (or Oshidori in Japanese.) Decorative arts celebrating the monogamy of Mandarin ducks were popular wedding gifts in some Asian cultures including Japan. Polychrome enamel decoration in the Ao-Kutani ("blue Kutani - reference not just to blue but also to green and aubergine derivatives of blue") palette. The plumage richly colored thusly and the chests and sides in a light, Robin's egg blue. Both marked "Ku Tani" in red enamel Kanji characters on the flat, biscuit undersides. The male duck in good condition with only a couple minor, small flakes to the black glaze - one on its forehead and one on the back tip of its crown (no damage to the porcelain body.) The male duck 8 inches long and 5 inches high.) We are pricing this listing for the male duck but including the female duck. The female duck with minor enamel loss and a crack roughly diagonally through the body and with evidence of glue - very tight, good fit and not very conspicuous when used in decorating. The female duck 6 1/8 inches long and 3 1/2 inches high. Taisho or possibly late Meiji era judging from the nicely applied enamel decoration.

A large, 9 inch diameter, blue and white Hirado plate with the familiar decoration of karako at play in garden among rockery beneath pine trees. Karako are depicted on ceramic works in odd rather than even quantities - a group of nine (as seen on this large plate) encountered less commonly. Good condition with minor wear inside the dish. Diameter, 9 inches (22.86 cm)

A Fukagawa five 7/8 inch bread plate. Iris decoration from Chuji Fukagawa's own 19th century design book. Blue underglaze and red, yellow and gold overglaze enamel decoration. Mt Fuji mark in underglaze blue inside the foot ring. Late Meiji or early Taisho. Good condition. Priced for each bread plate, there were six available when listed. We are happy to quote a group price or entertain an offer for all available pieces we have in this pattern.