A highly refined Ko-Kutani/Ko-Nabeshima transitional teabowl enamelled with twin ho-o birds (phoenix) in flight, encircling an underglaze cobalt blue medallion of scrolling octopus arabesques rendered in two-tone lapis-lazuli, the reverse exquisitely painted in the Nabeshima taste with three hanakarakusa (flower-and-arabesque pattern)
Arita kiln, Ko-Kutani/Ko-Nabeshima transitional ware, Hizen province, Japan
Edo period, Keian-Joo era (1648-1655)
circa 1648-55
MARK
Underglaze cobalt blue fuku (happiness) mark in double square.
MEASUREMENTS
14.6 cm diameter x 5.1 cm high
CONDITION
In very good condition with no wear to the brilliant enamels. One miniscule fleabite to the edge of the footrim. A tiny notch to the porcelain rim edge of the bowl - likely original and glazed over. One very faint hairline extending from the rim approximately 1.5cm.
DESCRIPTION
The exterior underglaze blue arabesque patterns of this highly refined wide and shallow teabowl are characteristic of those found on Ko-Nabeshima (early Nabeshima) ware. This enamelled and underglaze blue teabowl appears to be a rare transitional work created during the evolution from the Ko-Kutani style toward the Ko-Nabeshima style.
An important and highly rare transitional piece, linking the two lineages of Ko-Kutani and Nabeshima.
STORAGE
With a traditional Japanese paulownia wood storage box and ribbon tie.
A refined Ko-Kutani / Ko-Nabeshima teabowl enamelled with twin phoenix c1650-55
SOLD
BARASET HOUSE FINE ART
416 666 6295
info@barasethouse.com
www.barasethouse.com
Associated examples:
An associated long rectangular serving dish with equally brilliant and translucent enamels exists in the Shibata Collection at the Kyushu Ceramic Museum, illustrated in Complete Catalogue of Shibata Collection (2019), no.2089, dated 1680-1700.
The Shibata example no.2089 features similarly executed enamelling to the cavettos, the central well decorated with a dragon amongst swirling clouds snarling at a tiger. Stylistically similar handling of enamelled decoration and notably brilliant and similar colouration to the enamels throughout, when compared to the present serving dish.
Comparable examples:
Other examples possibly from a set of five dishes which likely came from Japan to England in the early 20th century, were distributed amongst a group of friends and colleagues united by a similar passion for collecting early Japanese ceramics. Including the present example, a complete and nearly identical set of five can be traced to Soame Jenyns, Kington Baker and Mrs. Walter Sedgwick – all contemporaries, collectors, friends and members of the Oriental Ceramic Society from the early to mid 20th century in London.
Comparable dish 1: An almost identical example to the present dish was exhibited at The Oriental Ceramics Society’s ‘Loan Exhibition of Japanese Porcelain’ in 1956 by Mrs. Walter Sedgwick. The 1956 exhibition catalogue describes the dish as "122: Oblong dish with fluted corners, decorated in enamels and gold with pine trees, rocks and clouds in the centre, with borders of bamboos and plum [prunus] blossom. Length 8.3 in. Mrs. Walter Sedgwick”. A copy of this catalogue with illustrations accompanies the present dish.
Comparable dish 2: Another almost identical example formerly in the Collection of Soame Jenyns, Deputy Keeper of Asian Antiquities at the British Museum. Later sold by Robert McPherson (Friesland, Netherlands).
Comparable dishes 3 & 4: Another two almost identical dishes of this design in the Collection of the British Museum (Collection numbers 1940,0601.2-3) were donated as part of the Kington Baker Bequest (1940). In The British Museum Quarterly, volume 14, R.S. Jenyns states that "the bequest from the small but choice collection of the late Mr. Kington Baker has yielded several interesting pieces of Japanese porcelain to the Museum collections. In particular six pieces of porcelain decorated in polychrome enamels in the style of the potter Kakiemon".
R. S. Jenyns notes that "the elegant quatrefoil tray (PL XXI) shows a thick greasy white glaze....this is almost transparent and full of bubbles. The enamels if anything are even more brilliant, and they have been traced over a raised design of a fir-tree, prunus, and bamboo, amid rocks and clouds. It is difficult to date this piece with any security, but I should place it...possibly about 1700."
Comparable dish 5: the present example makes the final dish in a complete Japanese set of five.
COMPARABLE EXAMPLES
An identical example, listed as 'Ko-Kutani/Ko-Nabeshima Transitional Ware' illustrated in Kazuyoshi Ogi From Early Imari to Ko-Kutani Style: Viewing the Transitions of Early Imari (Sojusha Bijutsu Suppan, 1990), p.186-187, illustration number 212.