Height 40.3 cm, mouth diameter 6.5 cm, bottom diameter 10.6 cm
This is one of the oldest among the oldest Ko-Imari colored enameled Tokuguri of the period, and is an unparalleled large piece of work.
The shape of this piece is in the style of the so-called “Nirahira Tokuguri”, but the body is very full and taut.
The white porcelain body is slightly burnt and soft with yellowish tints, and there are rough penetrations from the base to the body and cracks in the base.
The body is decorated with camellia, grass, and banbo-style patterns, and the inside is decorated with cloisonne patterns in the style of a snake’s basket.
The depiction is not formal, but rather an extension of the early “somezuke” style.
Although the date of production is uncertain, it is thought to be representative of early akae before the early Kanbun period, and is a valuable resource for examining the development of early akae in Arita.
It is also interesting to note that there are no other examples of this type of design in overglaze enamels.
It was handed down to the Yoshikawa family of Iwakuni, a branch of the Mori family, until after World War II.
