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An exceptionally rare 17th century Early Enamelled Ware (Kakiemon related) Arita abalone shell-shaped mukōzuke dish, enamelled in overglaze blue and black with a flowering Himalayan blue poppy and two poppy seed-heads (pods) issuing from the scalloped edge

Arita, Early Enamelled Ware, Kakiemon related, Hizen province, Japan
early Edo period (third quarter 17th century)
c1650-75
 
A variation of this exceptionally rare dish is on display in the Japanese Gallery of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. It is likely that the present dish may predate the Ashmoleon example, which differs only in that the Ashmolean example has two-tone enamelling in overglaze blue and green, whereas the present example has enamelling in rich overglaze blue and black.
 
No other example of this early poppy design in only overglaze blue on an abalone shell-shaped Arita dish is known.
 
Please see our Collection for An important set of five 17th century abalone shell-shaped mukōzuke dishes, brilliantly enamelled in overglaze blue, green and black with a flowering Himalayan blue poppy which are identical to the rare poppy dish on display in the Japanese Gallery of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, categorized by Dr. Oliver Impey as Early Enamelled Ware, Kakiemon related, mid to late 17th century.