17th Century Japanese Ko-Kutani Type Porcelain Bowl

c.1640-1650

A Ko-Kutani Type Bowl Arita Kilns c.1640-1650. This bowl was made at the Arita kilns, previously it was thought that this type of Japanese of early ‘Kutani’ porcelain, referred to as Ko-Kutani (old Kutani), was made at Kilns in Enuma County, Ishikawa Prefecture. This bowl is a very early example of enamel decoration on Japanese porcelain. The flared sides are moulded in low relief with foliage, the well is painted in enamel colours including a thin iron red, aubergine, green and blue, there are some black outlines and two underglaze concentric circles. The exterior is painted in thin iron red with three broken groups of pine needles. The base has a crudely painted Chinese Ming dynasty reign mark, that of Chenghua 1465-1487. This mark often occurs on Japanese porcelain from the 17th century, however this is an early use of this mark.

SOLD

Condition
In very good condition, small losses to the green enamel, minor firing faults.
Size
Diameter 13.5 cm (5 1/4 inches).
Provenance
N/A
Stock number
26354
References
For an early Kutani bowl of this type see : Complete Catalogue of Shibata Collection (Contributors Saga Kenritsu Kyūshū Tōji Bunkakan. Published by the Kyushu Ceramic Museum, 1990) page 42, plate 0276.

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