Pater Gratia Oriental Art

Sold Ceramics

 

Sold Japanese Garnitures or Parts of a Garniture

 

Page 1

2010932
2010932

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Garnitures or Parts of a Garniture - Page 1

 

Object 2010932

 

Small oviform covered jar

 

Japan

 

1700-1720

 

Height 120 mm (4.72 inch), diameter 62 mm (2.44 inch), diameter of mouthrim 32 mm (1.26 inch), diameter of footring  38 mm (1.50 inch), weight with cover 161 grams (5.68 ounce (oz.)), weight cover 23 grams (0.81 ounce (oz.))

 

Small oviform jar on footring, wide upright neck. Domed cover with pointed knob on a domed base. Imari decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold. Around the foot and shoulder decorated with a continuous foliate scroll, on the body a, highly unusual, decoration of a temple complex within walls. Around the neck a pointed leaves pattern border in gold. On the domed cover a pointed leaves-pattern border in gold and a temple complex within walls. The base of the gold pointed knob is modelled after chrysanthemum. On the base a rectangular paper collectors label that reads: '5'.

 

This small oviform jar with cover was once part of a garniture which mostly consisted of three covered oviform-shaped jars and two cylindrical beaker vases with spreading mouths, all with the same decoration, They were very popular in The Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, where they were used as decorative items in the interior. (Jörg 2003/1, p.259)

 

Condition: A firing flaw and a frit to the rim of the cover and a chip with two frits to the inner rim of the cover.

 

Reference:

Jörg 2003/1, p.259

 

Price: Sold.

 

More pictures >>

2010364
2010364

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Garnitures or Parts of a Garniture - Page 1

 

Object 2010364

 

Small oviform covered jar

 

Japan

 

1700-1730

 

Height 123 mm (4.84 inch), diameter 62 mm (2.44 inch), diameter of mouthrim 35 mm (1.38 inch). diameter of footring 41 mm (1.61 inch)

 

Small oviform jar on footring, wide upright neck. Domed cover with pointed knob on a domed base. Imari decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold with around the foot and shoulder a flowering prunus scroll border. In between both borders flowering peony, chrysanthemum and poppy plants and three hõ-õ birds in flight. On the upright neck and the rim of the cover a spiral pattern border. On the domed cover flowering peony and chrysanthemum plants. The base of the gold pointed knob is modelled after chrysanthemum.

 

Porcelain miniatures were popular in The Netherlands, where they were used to furnish doll's houses, which were not children's playthings but professionally furnished replicas of townhouses. In general, miniatures were included in groups of decorative porcelain placed on shelves, brackets and consoles in the Dutch interior, or in the porcelain rooms of the grand houses, such as those still in Pommersfelden and Charlottenburg. Germany. (Jörg 2003/1, p.190)

 

Condition: A small hairline to the rim and fine crazing to the glaze.

 

Reference:

Jörg 2003/1, cat. 191, 193 & 238

 

Price: Sold.

 

More pictures >>

2010438
2010438

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Garnitures or Parts of a Garniture - Page 1

 

Object 2010438

 

Beaker vase

 

Japan

 

1720-1750

 

Height 350 mm (13.78 inch),  diameter of mouthrim 115 mm (4.53 inch), diameter of waist 63 mm (2.48 inch), diameter of footring 80 mm (3.15 inch)

 

Beaker vase of waisted cylindrical shape on footring, flaring rim and spreading lower part tapering to a takefushi-shaped foot. Imari decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold with two groups of pierced rockwork with a fence and flowering peony plants. Around the mouthrim, two panels, filled with a shishi (Buddhist lion), a Japanese variant of the Chinese shi-tzu (Dog of Fo) standing in between foliage. The inside is undecorated.

 

The "Chinese lion" or kara shishi is supposed to be the Chinese conception of a creature never seen in China but told of by travellers or copied from the pictures from India as there are no records of lions in ancient Chinese writings before about 250 A.D. It is also called a Chinese Dog or Dog of Fo (Buddha) from which it is clear that dog-like characteristics prevail over the original leonine ones. The lion symbolizes guardianship and protection, from which belief is derived the practice of placing statues of lions at the doors of palaces and tombs as guardians of both the living and the dead against all evil. (Fitski 2011, p.160)

 

The shishi is characterized by a fierce expression, large bulging eyes and curly mane, a bushy tail and curly locks of hair on the legs. Japanese pairs of figures of shishi usually have both animals with an ornamental / brocade ball, whereas Chinese examples usually have one with a ball, the other (female) with a cub. It is clear that the shishi is no ordinary lion, but a mythical beast. It is probable that the lion in this mythical form came over from the Middle East as a guardian figure in Chinese pre-historical times. After the introduction of Buddhism, the shishi retained its function as a guardian, and pairs of these animals were placed on either side of the entrance of temples in China and Japan. (Arts 1983, p.110)

 

The shape of the bulging foot, which spreads and then turns sharply inward, is seen on many ewers of this period as well as on later jars, vases and other pieces. It is a distinctively Japanese feature, called takefushi, 'bamboo-noded' foot. (Jörg 2003/1, p.74)

 

Condition: Perfect.

 

References:

Arts 1983, p.110

Jörg 2003/1, p.74

Fitski 2011, p.160

 

Price: Sold.

 

More pictures >>

2010439
2010439

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Garnitures or Parts of a Garniture - Page 1

 

Object 2010439

 

Beaker vase

 

Japan

 

1720-1750

 

Height 164 mm (6.46 inch), diameter of mouthrim 89 mm (3.50 inch), diameter of waist 55 mm (2.17 inch), diameter of footring 57 mm (2.24 inch)

 

Beaker vase of waisted cylindrical shape on footring, flaring rim and spreading lower part tapering to a takefushi-shaped foot. Imari decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold  with two large shaped panels, each filled with flowering plants and a flying butterfly reserved on a dark blue ground that has chrysanthemums outlined in red and foliage in gold. Round the mouthrim, four panels, two filled with a flowering chrysanthemum the other two with a single butterfly surrounded by four flowering branches. The inside is undecorated.

 

This beaker vase was once part of a garniture which mostly consisted of three covered oviform-shaped jars and two cylindrical beaker vases with spreading mouths, all with the same decoration, They were very popular in The Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, where they were used as decorative items in the interior. (Jörg 2003/1, p.259)

 

In Japanese ceramic art the butterfly, chõ-chõ in Japanese, is associated with the peony flower and the Chinese lion. In Japan the white butterfly is considered to be the soul of the living or the dead. It is always treated kindly when discovered in the house for it may be a friend come to announce his death. Many legends exist about this belief. A famous one is that of an old man who was lying dying in his room when a white butterfly fluttered in. An attendant tried to drive it out to prevent it from waking the sleeper, after which the insect, followed by the attendant, flew directly to the nearby cemetery, where it lingered on a woman's tomb. After the old man had died it was discovered that the name inscribed on the tomb was that of the old man's fiancée, who had died on the eve of the wedding long ago. The old man had never married, but stayed true to her and visited her grave every day. When he became ill and could no longer go to her, she came to him in the form of a white butterfly. (Arts 1983, p.124), (Gorham 1971, p.200)

 

The shape of the bulging foot, which spreads and then turns sharply inward, is seen on many ewers of this period as well as on later jars, vases and other pieces. It is a distinctively Japanese feature, called takefushi, 'bamboo-noded' foot. (Jörg 2003/1, p.74)

 

Condition: A shallow glaze chip to the footring.

 

References:

Gorham 1971, p.200

Arts 1983, p.124

Jörg 2003/1, p.74 & p.259

 

Price: Sold.

 

More pictures >>