Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Imari 1690-1800 - Dishes - Page 1

Object 2012462

Dish

Japan

1670-1690

Height 31 mm (1.22 inch), diameter 218 mm (8.58 inch), diameter of footring 115 mm (4.53 inch), weight 403 grams (14.21 ounce (oz.))

Dish on footring, flat rim. On the base three spur-marks in a V-pattern. Decorated in underglaze blue and enamels with in the centre a flowerpot surrounded by a band of a continuous branch of prunus blossoms. The sides and rim are divided into kraak-style panels, the large panels filled with flowering plants, the narrow ones with geometric patterns. The reverse has a continuous flower scroll in red, green and yellow.

Jörg describes an identical larger dish in his Fine & Curious. Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections. This rare dish can be considered an interesting intermediate piece. It combines the underglaze blue kraak-style (fuyō-de) with early Imari enamelling. (Arts 1983, p.48 plate 19a), (Jörg 2003/1, p.94, cat. 87 & p.291)

The colour scheme of the scrolls on the reverses and the ‘light’ way of painting the leaves and flowers is still reminiscent of the early enamelled pieces. At the same time, the dense design, combination of underglaze blue with enamels and the bands in the centres already shows the early stages of the mature Imari style, which developed somewhere between 1670-1690. This was in all likelyhood stimulated by the orders from the Dutch who liked the bright colours, strong designs and complex compositions. (Jörg 2003/1, p.91)

For identically shaped, sized and decorated dishes, please see;

For an example of an early, underglaze blue, Japanese kraak dish, dated 1660-1680, please see: Ayers, Impey & Mallet 1990, p.93 cat. 31.

Another hybrid style dish which offers an interesting comparison can be found in the collection of the Royal Trust (inv. nr. RCIN 58828). The underglaze blue kraak design still clearly prevails here. The enamels show an opaque, strong green and dark brick-red, which resembles the early enamels colour scheme more closely. Therefore, this piece can probably be dated slightly earlier than our dish(es).

Finally, this unusual Imari design can also be found on a finely painted copy, possibly of 19th or 20th century Japanese origin, featuring the same diameter, please see: Windsor House Antiques (Ref No. 6522). The dish also has spur-marks and an unidentified (pseudo?) mark on the back. The high quality of this dish is striking. Perhaps it was made to replace an original Japanese dish as part of a larger set?

windsor house windsor house rev

Windsor House Antiques (Ref No. 6522), this dish is not included in this sale/offer.

Condition: Perfect.

References:

Arts 1983, plate 19a

Ayers, Impey & Mallet 1990, cat. 31

Jörg 2003/1, cat. 62, 63 & 87, p.91 & p.291

www.royalcollection.org.uk/, inv. nr. RCIN 58828

www.windsorhouseantiques.co.uk/, Ref No. 6522

Collection Groninger Museum

Price: Sold.