EDO PERIOD (LATE 17TH CENTURY)

Details

A rare kakiemon cup
Edo Period (Late 17th Century)
The slightly tapering cylindrical cup with everted rim and ring foot, the fine white glazed body decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red, green, yellow and black enamels, with a Nabeshima style design of tassels and scrolling foliage, the sides with three applied finely modelled handles in underglaze blue
9.2cm. high

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

There is much discussion in Japan and outside about the status of the so-called Shibuemon wares. Made in Arita, they fall into a category distinct from any other product of Arita, though possibly related to the Kakiemon, being both elaborate and formal, and certainly influenced by Nabeshima. This delicate cup shows some affinity with such pieces as that in the Ashmolean illustrated by Oliver Impey1. The most famous example is that in the Umezawa Kinenkan2, inscribed Eighth year of Genroku [1695] Kaki.

1 Oliver Impey in Japanese Export Porcelain (Oxford, 2002), pl. 277
2 Umezawa Kinenkan, Sekai toji zenshu, Vol. 8, (Tokyo, 1979), pl. 53.

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