Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Imari 1690-1800 - 'Gold' Imari - Page 1

Object 2010574

Dish

Japan

1700-1720

Height 47 mm (1.85 inch), diameter of rim 295 mm (11.61 inch), diameter of footring 142 mm (5.59 inch)

Dish on footring, spreading flat rim. On the base four spur-marks in a Y-pattern. 'Gold' Imari, decorated in gold, iron-red and a light-pinkish gold wash with a spray of blossoming pomegranate in a central roundel surrounded by grasses and three groups of flowering plants each with a pair of birds, namely millet and quail, carnation and crested grouse, double camellia and partridge. In between each group a bird in flight. The rim with four panels containing sprays of peony, double magnolia, double chrysanthemum and double camellia. The reverse is undecorated.

These type of dishes are magnificent examples of the 'Gold' Imari group. No underglaze blue or other enamels are used, the light pinkish wash lending sufficient contrast to the brighter red and gold. This dish was once part of an extensive dinner set, now separated. In the collection of Oriental Ceramics of the Groninger Museum is an identically decorated teaset that consists of an identical teapot / hot water pot, six cups and saucers for tea or coffee, six chocolate cups with covers and saucers, a bowl with an overturned rim that might have been a sugar bowl and a ewer which may have been used as a milk jug but could also have been a condiment jug in a dinner set with the same design of which parts are also in the Groninger Museum. The set entered the Groninger Museum in 1899 as a bequest of the local collector, Mr. Mello Backer. Some sherds of similar wares have been excavated at Deshima. (Jörg 2003/1, p.201 & p.213)

For the identically decorated teaset in the collection of Oriental ceramics of the Groninger Museum, please see:

Fine & Curious. Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections, (C.J.A. Jörg, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2003), p.201, cat. 256.

For an identically decorated dish, please see;

Imari-Porzellan am Hofe der Kaiserin Maria Theresia, exhibition catalogue (Hetjens-Museum, Düsseldorf, 2000), p.49, cat. 10.

For a similarly decorated dish, please see;

Fine & Curious: Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections, (C.J.A. Jörg, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam 2003), pp.115-116, cat. 123.

Condition: Perfect.

References:

Arts 1983, Plate 80

Jörg & Van Campen 1997, cat. 237

Arita 2000, cat. 84

Düsseldorf 2000, cat. 10

Jörg 2003/1, cat. 123, 124 & 256

Price: Sold.