No one is sure about the derivation of the term, but “stone" plate (“ishi-zara”) presumably refers to the relative sturdiness of these large shallow bowls, which always had horizontally everted rims for added strength. They were sometimes called “herring plates” as they were often used to serve a kind of herring stew. During the late Edo period, “stone” plates were a standard utilitarian product of the many kilns comprising the pottery town of Seto and environs in Aichi Prefecture near Nagoya.

Folk pottery consists of various kinds of domestic wares which possess a natural dignity that stems from the combination of the materials used to make and fire the pottery, the craftsman’s technical skill, and the use to which such pottery is put. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this dish is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is humble, unassuming and never pretentious. Considered a quintessential example of Japanese ceramic folk art, Seto ishi-zara are represented in most major collections of mingei or Japanese folk ceramics.

CONDITION is excellent, with no chips or cracks. The nine round dots on the front surface are the result of small clay pellets used to separate the stacked plates when they were being fired. DIMENSIONS: 10 ½” (26.8 cm) diameter, 2” (5 cm) deep.