Japanese Ceramics 日本の陶磁器

An elegant bowl covered with a very fine carpet-like decoration of blooming chrysanthemums, peonies and arabesques, symbolising longevity and prosperity. Abundant, finely detailed gold drawing.

On the base, a red overglaze mark of two characters, “Kutani” (九谷).

diameter — 12.5 cm.

The front is decorated with cranes among pines, traditional symbols of wisdom, longevity and marital fidelity. On the well of the saucer, the artist’s signature in enamel and a red seal.

On the base, a calligraphic overglaze signature of two characters, “Kutani” (九谷).

diameter — 12.5 cm.

The interior well is covered with celadon glaze and decorated with a cobalt longevity medallion. The exterior is decorated in underglaze cobalt with a dynamic scene of a horse galloping among clouds.

Original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with a commemorative presentation inscription.

diameter — 23.5 cm.

A dish of complex shape, made by hand-forming.

The silhouette of a monstera leaf is inlaid with a glossy turquoise-green glaze, creating an expressive, sculptural contrast with the matt body.

On the base, the artist’s signature “Kusunoki”.

Original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with the artist’s inscription “Celadon dish with leaf pattern”, the master’s signature and an impression of his personal seal.

diameter — 25 cm.

At the centre of the dish, covered with a noble celadon glaze, is a sea bass (a symbol of good fortune and prosperity), rendered in deep brown tones with an elegant golden outline.

The foot ring has holes for hanging.

On the base, within an oval white reserve, an underglaze cobalt signature “Seiho”.

diameter — 32 cm.

A ceremonial dish of high-quality snow-white porcelain. Decorated with the traditional festive subject of Gosho-guruma (imperial carriages with flowers) against a dense carpet-like pattern of karakusa arabesques.

On the base, an underglaze gold exporter’s mark “Gold Imari / Handpainted” and overglaze red characters “Arita” (有田).

diameter — 23 cm.

Classic sometsukeSometsuke 染付 — classic underglaze painting on porcelain in cobalt, which after firing takes on a deep blue or blue-black shade on a white ground. porcelain with a multi-planar sansui landscape (mountains and water) depicting a pagoda, a lake and birds in the foreground. The front has fine overglaze gold drawing. On the reverse, two concentric circles and three stylised bamboo branches are painted in cobalt.

15 cm.

The base is flat and unglazed, with traces of hand cutting, showing the rough matt texture of terracotta clay. The interior well and exterior walls are covered with a pale sandy-beige glaze with a pronounced, fine crackle network.

diameter — 20 cm.

Porcelain dishes with an elegant scalloped rim. The well is decorated in gold on a cobalt ground with two warriors in a landscape of ancient pines. On the reverse, five characteristic kiln spur marks are preserved, confirming the old firing technique.

diameter — 27 cm (medium).

The minimalist design is an abstract fusion of Japanese tradition and post-war geometric modernism: a white square on a deep cobalt ground. The decorative accent of the piece is a circular pattern in the janome (“snake’s eye”) technique.

On the base, an underglaze cobalt artist’s signature in cursive (sosho) script: “Mineyama saku” (峰山作 — “Made by Mineyama”).

Imari / Arita style.

Second half of the 19th century (Meiji period).

Porcelain; underglaze cobalt, overglaze polychrome enamel painting, hand gilding (kinrandeKinsai / Kinrande 金彩 / 金襴手 — a refined technique of hand-gilding ceramics and porcelain with gold leaf or liquid gold pigment, followed by a fixing firing. technique).

Diameter — 18.5 cm, height — 7.5 cm.

The exterior of the body is decorated with restrained cobalt branches and round medallions with overglaze floral decoration and gilding. The interior well and walls are richly decorated in the kinrande technique with alternating vertical sectors of scale pattern, geometric lattice and lush flowers. On the underside of the base, underglaze cobalt concentric circles.

Studio firings, Zuishun (瑞旬) workshop.

Mid- to second half of the 20th century (Showa period).

Ceramics, formed, relief decoration, grey-blue glaze with soft crazing.

Diameter — 16.5 cm, height — 5.5 cm.

A round interior bowl on three low feet. The side walls are enhanced with expressive relief elements. The surface is covered with a dense semi-matt grey-blue glaze.

At the centre of the base, a round stamped workshop mark, “Zuishun” (瑞旬 — “Auspicious Path”).

Mid- to second half of the 20th century.

High-quality porcelain; traditional underglaze cobalt painting (sometsukeSometsuke 染付 — classic underglaze painting on porcelain in cobalt, which after firing takes on a deep blue or blue-black shade on a white ground.).

Diameter of each plate — c. 15 cm.

A rare set of five exquisite museum-quality dessert plates from the renowned Kyoto Seifu dynasty (whose manufactory historically supplied wares for the Imperial Court). The decoration combines the refinement of the Kiyomizu style (Kyo-yaki) with impeccable quality of the porcelain body. The classic painted design includes the auspicious “precious scrolls” motif surrounded by stylised floral sprays.

The lot is supplied in its original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with the artist’s calligraphy and the master’s personal seal impression on the lid.

Second half of the 19th – early 20th century (Meiji / Taisho period).

Porcelain; underglaze cobalt, overglaze painting in coloured enamels, gilding (kinrandeKinsai / Kinrande 金彩 / 金襴手 — a refined technique of hand-gilding ceramics and porcelain with gold leaf or liquid gold pigment, followed by a fixing firing. technique).

Diameter — 16 cm, height with lid — 12 cm.

Highly artistic hand painting. The main body and the lid are decorated with polychrome medallions of blooming chrysanthemums, complemented by rich gold drawing. Along the inner wall of the bowl and lid runs an elegant geometric border in cobalt and red enamel.

On the base of the bowl, within a double square cartouche, a traditional underglaze auspicious mark-character —

“Wealth and abundance”.

Nippon Toki Kaisha (later Noritake).

1910s–1920s (Taisho / late Meiji).

Porcelain; overglaze geometric ornament, enamel painting, gilding.

Diameter — 31 cm.

A large ceremonial serving dish with refined decoration combining strict geometry with traditional chrysanthemum buds. The piece was made to an exclusive commission for the elite Tokyo department store Matsuya.

On the reverse, the factory’s internal mark (the abbreviation RC (Royal Crockery) with the inscriptions Noritake and Nippon Toki Kaisha). Below are a “Design registration application” stamp and the character mark of the special order, “Matsuya Tokusen” (松屋特選).

Paul McCobb for Jackson Internationale.

1959–1965.

Japan (for the American market).

Fine china; solid monochrome overglaze enamel coating, graphic print.

Diameter — 31 cm.

A collectible decorative dish covered with a bright enamel in the brand’s signature lemon-yellow shade. The well is decorated with spare, contrasting black graphics in the form of a stylised abstract sun / eclipse with radiating lines of dots. A benchmark example of mid-20th-century American Mid-Century Modern design.

The full designer’s inscription is printed on the reverse: “CONTEMPRI Ⅲ fine china / designed by Paul McCobb / Japan / JACKSON INTERNATIONALE / Dishwasher Proof”.

Eclectique Kaikai (Mino ceramics).

Late 20th century.

Porcelain; underglaze cobalt, painting in matt sandy enamels, abundant gilding.

Diameter of each bowl — 17 cm.

A set of three deep round bowls (salad bowls), the design of which is conceptually inspired by medieval Persian ceramics of the city of Nishapur. The set includes three subjects:

“Sacred Bird” — a graphic bird silhouette in underglaze cobalt; the rim is arranged in sectors with gilding and sandy enamel;

“Warrior Horseman” — a crowned horseman with sword and shield surrounded by stylised birds;

“Ornamental Rosette” — a radially symmetrical oriental pattern with a central character, rich gold drawing and matt enamels.

Kyoto-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki; Raku technique with elements of Bizen / Iga styles.

Second half of the 20th century.

Stoneware body, hand-formed, high-temperature Raku firing.

A decorative handmade interior dish in the shape of an open traditional sensu fan. The surface is unglazed, with a unique natural gradient from terracotta to an earthy green (“mossy”) shade, characteristic of authentic Japanese firings.

The body bears the artist’s mark, the character “Raku” (楽).

Hada-gama workshop, Kyo-yaki craft.

Second half of the 20th century.

Ceramics, shaped forming, underglaze polychrome painting, glazing.

Width — 23 cm.

A pair of studio interior dishes of shaped form. The well of each piece is decorated with refined floral and landscape motifs in the traditional Kyoto style.

On the reverse of each piece, a square workshop mark is impressed with the character “Hada” (肌).

Arita / Imari style.

First half of the 20th century.

Porcelain; hand-painted underglaze cobalt decoration (sometsukeSometsuke 染付 — classic underglaze painting on porcelain in cobalt, which after firing takes on a deep blue or blue-black shade on a white ground.).

Diameter — c. 40 cm.

A monumental decorative porcelain dish. The central design is a classic Japanese “Sansui”

(“mountains and water”) landscape with a detailed depiction of a mighty pine, a pagoda at the water’s edge and a flying crane, a traditional symbol of longevity.

On the reverse, kiln spur marks are clearly visible, evidence of the old firing technique.

On the base, an underglaze blue export-type stamp: “MADE IN JAPAN”.

15.5 × 13 cm.

An original rectangular interior dish with a stepped cut corner. The well is decorated with spare, expressive hand painting depicting a branch of blossoming plum (ume).

diameter — 14 cm.

A set of five dessert dishes made from the renowned traditional unglazed red clay of Tokoname. The central part of each dish is decorated with a relief image of a grapevine under a transparent glaze.

At the centre of the base of each piece, a square embossed workshop mark of the “Inagawa” workshop.

height — 16.5 cm.

A collectible handmade vase by the outstanding master Kato Yoshiaki (1934–2019), who worked under the artistic name Juppo. The piece embodies the quintessential Japanese wabi-sabiWabi-sabi 侘寂 — a key Japanese aesthetic concept that prescribes valuing true beauty in its transience, incompleteness and noble imperfection (asymmetry, traces of time, roughness of texture). aesthetic: an expressive asymmetrical form with a “twisted” modelling of the body. The surface is decorated in the expressive dry-brush stroke technique (hakemeHakeme 刷毛目 — a technique of expressive decoration of a vessel with strokes of white slip applied with a coarse dry brush, which exposes the darker layer of clay beneath.) with a soft gradient from deep earthy browns to shimmering golden-olive tones.

Kato Yoshiaki is a laureate of the International Ceramics Biennale in Vallauris (France), a participant in exhibitions in the USA and a regular prizewinner at Japan’s major national exhibitions (Asahi Togaiten, top awards of the Contemporary Ceramic Design exhibition). From 1976 he ran his own kiln, Myogama, in Tokoname.

Original artist’s wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with a calligraphic signature, the master’s personal seal and an insert with the artist’s biography.

height — 30 cm.

A large porcelain vase of classic spherical maru-tsubo form. Executed in the traditional overglaze polychrome Iro-e Kutani technique. Shaped cartouche windows display a multi-planar sansui landscape (mountains and water) with old pines, pagodas and flying cranes, symbols of longevity. The body of the vase is filled with a complex geometric ornament in the canonical green-and-purple palette.

On the base of the vessel, the master’s mark “Tame” (為).

Wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with the title of the piece “Iro-e Sansui Hanaike”, the master’s signature and seal (on the underside of the lid, a memorial presentation inscription); an accompanying booklet and the original certificate label of the elite Hankyu Department Store.

height — 14 cm.

A collectible hanging vase for the tea ceremony in the shape of the traditional well bucket, tsurube. The piece is fitted with an authentic wrought-metal ring for hanging. The vessel is hand-made from the renowned iron-rich clay of the Bizen region and underwent a multi-day wood firing that formed the unique surface texture.

On the lower part of the body, the artist’s calligraphic signature is hand-carved — 竹渓 (“Chikkei”), confirming the status of a hereditary master.

height — 13 cm, diameter — 25.5 cm.

A collectible hanging vase of flattened spherical maru-tsubo form for the tea ceremony. Hand-made from natural iron-rich clay, preserving its granular natural texture. On the sides of the body are hand-formed pierced lugs for fastening a cord. The picturesque transitions from warm terracotta to earthy grey and the traces of sintering by the foot ring are the result of a multi-day, uneven firing in a wood-fired anagamaNoborigama / Anagama 登り窯 / 穴窯 — traditional Japanese multi-chamber climbing kilns and single-chamber kilns for multi-day high-temperature wood firing of stoneware. kiln.

height — 21 cm, neck diameter — 11 cm.

A vintage interior vase of spherical maru-tsubo form, made in the celebrated traditional Shigaraki technique — one of the “Six Ancient Kilns of Japan” (Rokkoyo). The piece has a pronounced wabi-sabiWabi-sabi 侘寂 — a key Japanese aesthetic concept that prescribes valuing true beauty in its transience, incompleteness and noble imperfection (asymmetry, traces of time, roughness of texture). aesthetic, showing natural fire scorching and the noble rough texture of the clay.

On the flat base, the master’s mark is impressed.

height — 25.5 cm, width — 14 cm. Weight: c. 2.2 kg.

A hexagonal interior vase of patinated cast bronze, made in the renowned traditions of Takaoka doki art casting. The walls are decorated with finely worked relief silhouettes of Manchurian cranes.

On the body / base is the relief mark of the well-known metal sculptor Katsumine.

Original artist’s box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) of paulownia wood with a calligraphic title of the lot and the artist’s personal signature.

height — 21.5 cm.

A four-sided wall vase for a single flower (kakehanaire), made in Shiga Prefecture. The piece is covered with a unique rainbow shichisai (“Seven Colours”) glaze developed by the founder of the kiln, master Kojima Taro. The back has a hole for hanging.

On the reverse, a cobalt signature and an impressed workshop mark of “Nunobiki-gama”. The front of the box lid is decorated with the calligraphy “Kakehanaire” and the name of the workshop with a red seal impression; on the inside of the lid, the green logo mark of the Nunobiki kiln, as well as the signature and seal of the master Taro.

height — 26.5 cm.

An interior ceramic vase of elongated teardrop shape with a narrow, elegant neck, made at the renowned pottery centre of Banko-yaki (Mie Prefecture) at the Shogetsu kiln. The surface of the piece shows the pure, noble texture of fired clay, achieved through the complex technique of high-temperature yakishime firing.

On the base of the vase, the kiln’s mark in the form of the character 松 (“Matsu”).

height — 27 cm.

A highly artistic interior vase of square section in Kutani porcelain. The walls of the vessel are decorated with fine polychrome painting depicting a peacock surrounded by ripening bunches of grapes on the vine.

On the base, the inscription 九谷 (“Kutani”) and the artist’s mark.

Original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.), on the lid of which are inscribed the title of the piece (KabinKabin 花瓶 — a general category of large interior or floor vases for flowers.), the mention of the Gyokuho studio and the master’s signature (“Made by Mitsuhoshi”), authenticated with a red seal impression.

height — 19.5 cm.

An original rectangular interior vase with a short cylindrical neck and decorative lugs. The piece shows a deliberately rough texture of fired clay, with pronounced graininess and natural light mineral inclusions. The upper part is covered with a dense layer of flowing olive-green biidoro glaze with characteristic runs and a metallic sheen, skilfully imitating the natural deposit of kiln ash.

On the base of the vase, a clear impressed rectangular artist’s mark.

height — 24 cm, diameter — 8.5 cm.

A unique collectible vase of multi-layered glass by one of the most significant Japanese glass artists of the 20th century. The work is executed in a complex personal technique, with smooth colour transitions of a deep turquoise-emerald tone and striking contrasting inclusions that masterfully imitate the texture of a living bamboo stem. Collector’s condition.

Works by Hisatoshi Iwata are held in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Museum of Decorative Arts (Paris) and the National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo).

Original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with the master’s signature and personal seal.

height — 19.5 cm.

A vase in the traditional form of a bottle gourd (hyotan), decorated in the recognizable, canonical palette of the Yoshidaya style. Of particular collecting and aesthetic value is the skilful Japanese repair of the neck in the kintsugiKintsugi 金継ぎ — lit. “golden joinery”. The traditional Japanese art of restoration. Cracks and chips are not concealed but delicately filled with urushi lacquer mixed with powdered gold, turning a flaw into a virtue. technique, in which the lines of former cracks are emphasized and filled with precious gold lacquer.

On the base — the mark traditional to the Yoshidaya style: the character 福 (“Fuku” — Happiness) in a green square reserve.

height — 28.5 cm.

An elegant tea ceremony vase of the traditional tsurukubi (“crane neck”) form, with a strictly elongated narrow neck and a smooth teardrop-shaped base. The surface is covered with a dense natural ash glaze, creating a complex, painterly play of deep olive, swamp-green and ochre tones.

On the base — the hand-incised artist’s mark 萬 (“Man”).

Original wooden box (tomobakoTomobako 共箱 — an authentic box of valuable, seasoned wood (often paulownia), made specially for a particular piece. On the lid the master or owner personally inscribes in ink the calligraphic title of the object, his signature and the impression of a personal seal. It is the principal certificate of authenticity.) with the artist’s calligraphy “Tsurukubi Hanaire”, signature and personal red seal of the master.