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Large 18 Inch Imari Arita Takokarakusa Charger, Edo browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese:Porcelain: Pre 1900: item # 586374 Please refer to our stock # 2B-807 when inquiring.
B & C Antiques P. O. Box 291 Derby, CT 06418 203-929-7312 Guest Book $1,295 |
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This most impressive deep Japanese “sometsuke ozara” (blue and white porcelain) charger with scalloped edge is hand painted with crisp underglaze blue designs of tightly-curled arabesque style tako-karakusa (scrolling octopus vines). It dates to the first half of the 19th century. The blue scroll pattern surrounds a central medallion of shochikubai (pine, plum and bamboo) framed by a flower head band. “Sho” represents the pine tree for longevity, “chiku” represents the bamboo for tenacity, and “bai” represents the plum tree with is blossoms for beauty. The exterior is also decorated with underglaze cobalt designs of tako-karakusa, and there is an apocryphal six-character mark of Chenghua (a Chinese emperor in the Ming Dynasty who set very high porcelain standards) on the foot painted in underglaze blue. Four blue lines encircle the heavy unglazed foot ring, and three large spur marks appear on the glazed foot. Oversized dishes (“ozara”) first became popular among the wealthy urban elite in the 16th century, and they were made at the Arita kilns for the feudal lords (daimyos) for food service at banquets or at other ceremonial events. In the early 19th century, when ordinary townspeople had become affluent and restaurants multiplied, the popularity of large blue and white dishes became even more widespread. In response to this new affluence, large dishes were produced in some quantity and sold throughout Japan. With the penetration of urban culture to rural districts due to improved land and sea transportation, Arita porcelain became widely distributed, and many of these oversized dishes were used at large dinner parties held by leading families in rural districts. This huge thickly potted charger is an exceptional example of high quality sometsuke porcelain made for the Japanese market, and pieces of this size and quality are rare to find outside of Japan. Blue and white porcelains with karakusa designs are examples of wares made for the domestic Japanese market, and they are highly prized by Japanese collectors. CONDITION is excellent, with only a few light surface scratches. DIMENSIONS: 17 ¾” (45.4 cm) diameter, 2 ½” (6.5 cm) deep. |
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