Height 35.1 cm, mouth diameter 17.7 cm, bottom diameter 10.5 cm
The shape of this vase, with the mouth spread out like a trumpet, the shoulders stretched, the base narrowed, and the pedestal open, seems to have been influenced by Ming dynasty vases.
The body is decorated with a large depiction of an old plum tree on one side, with a spear-plum-like branch stretched across the neck, two birds perched on thick branches that open to the left and right, orchids and flowers on the right, and a tree on the left.
The most interesting feature is the inscription of “Boshin” (戊辰) on the back shoulder, which is the zodiacal year of Kan’ei 5 and Genroku 1, but the molding method of connecting the entire body in three stages, the style of cutting inside the stand, and the depiction of underglaze blue, all suggest an old style.
Therefore, it is assumed that this piece corresponds to the Kan’ei 5 period. Hizen Sometsuke began in the late Keicho period, and by the Kan’ei period, about 20 years later, this type of work was being produced, making this piece a valuable resource for understanding what happened during that period.
