PASSION: The Collectors
Interest amongst western collectors in Japanese goods, particularly ceramic and porcelain, began in the late 16th century. Competition from Chinese ceramics, which were superior in manufacture, cheaper to produce and available in larger quantities, had fuelled interest in Oriental design. Japanese producers found it hard to compete with Chinese export wares. However, they learnt from their designs, as did the European manufacturers to meet the demand from collectors.
It was in 1854 following the establishment of trade treaties, that Japanese imported goods began to flood the western markets. Ukiyo-e prints used as packaging for ceramics fuelled the desire and interest for Japanese art in the west. In France the Japonisme movement developed alongside the growing demand for Japanese artefacts from western collectors.
In England it was the Great Exhibition of 1862 in London, which brought the design and craftsmanship of Japanese goods to the public’s attention. Twenty years later Japanese artefacts were so in vogue with passionate collectors that Liberty of London began to import and sell Japanese goods.
Discover the objects in more detail:
Left Hand Side of Case
Lunch Box (Stacking Dishes), Early 1800s
Ceramic
Set of three round dishes forming three-tiered food container. Each dish curves out to centre then in again. Painted in cream crackled glaze with design of flowering cherry branches in underglaze blue & brown, continuous over three dishes and lid.
Make/Maker: Iwakurasan (kiln), Awata, Kyoto
Sake Pot with mons
Ceramic
Cylindrical bottles narrowing at top. Cream pottery, cream crackled glaze. Decorated with kiku and kiri-mon in underglaze blue and brown. Two patches of unglazed clay suggest a diagonal break.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Tea Ceremony Cup
Ceramic
Deep bowl painted in cream crackled glaze. Decorated with pine and plum branches in brown and blue underglaze, raised red, white overglaze enamel and gold.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Water Pot, 1800
Ceramic
Cylindrical pot in brown pottery with a round lacquer lid. Painted in greenish-grey glaze and decorated with prune blossom in brown, white and blue.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Sake Kettle
Ceramic
Light brown teapot-shaped vessel with a high spout and arched bamboo handle. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with an image of an egret wading in a river.
Sake Cups Washing Bowl
Ceramic
Deep bowl of cream pottery in a truncated cone shape with three indentations in one side of rim. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with a swallow flying amongst wisteria in underglaze blue and brown. Sprays of wisteria inside.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Possible Ladle or Tea Strainer
Ceramic
In the form of a lotus flower with a strainer in the base. Painted with ash glaze inside and unglazed outside. Inscribed with ‘Otafukuroka’ meaning to bring happiness.
Incense Box, 1800-1900
Ceramic
Cream pottery box in form of Tama (sacred jewel) or Hoiu (a Buddhist symbol, often held by Buddha in an open hand). Painted in cream ghohon glaze.
Make/ Maker: Ninsei – probably imitation (Kyoto, Japan)
Bowl with Spout
Ceramic
Deep, cream pottery bowl with a small spout. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with scenes of a lakeside village in underglaze blue and brown.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Incense Box, 1800
Porcelain
Tama-shaped box painted in white glaze and decorated with a net pattern in underglaze blue.
Make/ Maker: Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Sake Cup
Ceramic
Pale blue cup with a flared rim and small feet. Made for domestic use and now rarely seen both in and outside of Japan.
Sake Bottle, 1730
Ceramic
Long-necked bottle with a rounded body and indentations on either side (possibly to act as grips?). Decorated with a design of plum, pine and bamboo, known as the ‘three friends of winter’.
Make/ Maker: Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto Japan)
Tea Pot
Ceramic
Small pot in light grey pottery, originally used for steeping sencha tea. Painted in cream crackle glaze and decorated with a bird wading amongst lotuses in underglaze blue.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Sauce Pot
Ceramic
Small, square pot decorated with morning glory and butterfly design in overglazed blue and green enamel.
Make/ Maker: Iwakura Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Napkin Stand, 1850-1900
Ceramic
Used to hold cloth used in the tea ceremony. Painted in cream crackle glaze and decorated with four characters forming the motto ‘Be honest, do good things’. A red and gilt overglaze catouche on the opposite side reads ‘Made by Iwakurasan, Kyoto, Japan’.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Incense Pot
Ceramic
Small tama-shaped box with a domed lid. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with traditional Japanese treasures in underglaze blue. These include – moneybags, choji, a Buddhist wheel, a hammer (linked to one of the Seven Lucky Gods) and a conch shell.
Make/ Maker: Iwakura Ware (Yamashiro, Japan)
Daikoku Mould
Earthenware
A small earthenware mould used to make clay figurines of Daikoku (one of the Seven Lucky Gods) as mementos for pilgrims.
Sake Bottle
Ceramic
Large sake pourer with dome-shaped body, tall neck and short, high-set spout. Painted in cream crackled glaze patched with light brown and speckled with dark brown. Decorated with maple branches in underglaze blue and brown.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Two Sake Dishes
Ceramic
Small, deep sake dish of cream pottery painted in cream crackled glaze. Part of a series depicting famous views of Kyoto, for example, this one shows the temple of Saniusangendo. The exterior is decorated with three kanji characters in underglaze brown, which read ‘great Buddha’.
Maker/ Make: Kyozan (Kyoto, Japan)
Tea Powder Jar, 1830
Ceramic
Small, gourd-shaped tea caddy with a mushroom-like cap made for general domestic use. Painted in greyish-cream glaze and decorated with sparrows flying over a bamboo forest in underglaze blue and brown.
Make/ Maker: Taizan Ware (Awata, Kyoto, Japan)
Sake Dish, 1820
Ceramic
Small sake cup painted in cream crackle glaze. Part of a series depicting famous views of Kyoto, for example, this one shows the area of Maruyama. Made for general domestic use.
Make/ Maker: Taizan Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Box, about 1900
Ceramic
Incense box in shape of a sitting bird in cream coloured crackle glaze with details in pink, black, blue glaze and gilt.
Make/ Maker: Ito Tozan (Kyoto, Japan)
Paper Weight, 1820
Ceramic
In the form of a long, S-shaped spray of chrysanthemums (one flower, two buds with leaves) wrapped in paper at bottom. Stems enamelled brown, leaves blue, flower glazed in white.
Make/ Maker: Hirado Ware (Hizen Province)
Teapot, 1835
Ceramic
Rounded pot with short straight spout and hollow flaring handle, originally used for steeping sencha tea. Painted in cream crackle glaze and decorated with two kikumons in underglaze blue.
Make/ Maker: Awata Ware (Kyoto, Yamashiro, Japan)
Pair of Bottles, 1825
Ceramic
Two cylindrical sake bottles, each decorated with a poem and matching design.
One depicts man carrying a banner as part of a daimyo’s travelling entourage which would move between Edo (now Tokyo) and the daimyo’s own region once every two years as part of their service to the Shogun. The accompanying poem uses comedic word-play centred around the work ‘yarimochi’ (which roughly translates to carrying slave).
The other shows a blind priest with a walking stick being chased by a dog (a common scene in Japanese imagery/lore). The accompanying poem uses comedic word-play centred around the idea that a strike of lightening made the priest jump.
Make/ Maker: No seal, but probably made in the Awata district (Kyoto, Japan)
Teapot
Ceramic
Small, rounded pot with short straight spout and hollow flaring handle, originally used for steeping sencha tea. Painted in cream crackle glaze and decorated with a large chrysanthemum mon in underglaze black.
Make/ Maker: Awata Ware (Kyoto, Yamashiro, Japan)
Flower Vase
Ceramic
A cylindrical tear shape, cream glazed vase, decorated with a design of ducks and water plants.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Sake Cup
Ceramic
In the form of a katabuchi with a small spout. Painted in cream glaze and decorated with a net design in underglaze blue.
Plates (set of 7)
Ceramic
Set of seven dishes all decorated with the same chrysanthemum design – the petals forming a series of panels each containing a different autumnal plant or flower. Painted in cream glaze with details in underglaze blue and black.
Make/ Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Centre of Case
Pair of Bronze Pots and Covers, 1750-60
Ceramic
Jars of tall oval shape with short neck. Red-brown pottery with mid-brown glaze stopping short of base. Bag of silk brocade in greyish khaki shade with some gold and a blue silk lining.
Make/ Maker: Zeze Ware (Omi Province)
Dishes (set of 5)
Ceramic
Known as Girls Festival Dishes, this is a set of five small, shallow, square dishes with indented corners with a cream glaze and decoration of green foliage.
Tea Ceremony Cup, 1700
Ceramic
Broad shallow cup, brown pottery with cream crackled glaze. Compressed into irregular shape at top. Decorated outside with five aoi-mon in blue and green enamel and gold.
Make/ Maker: Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Burner
Ceramic
Small cylindrical jar with three feet. Formed from light brown pottery and painted in light brown glaze. Decorated with chrysanthemum heads in blue, green and red enamel and gold.
Make/ Maker: Possibly Seikansi (Kyoto, Japan)
Hanging Flower Vase, 1600-1700
Ceramic
Hanging vase in the shape of a music book, its edges scored to represent pages.
Make/ Maker: Ko Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Flower Vase, 1825
Ceramic
Vase of double gourd shape with a narrow neck. Formed from light brown pottery, painted in cream crackled glaze. Decorated with three different formal patterns in underglaze brown and blue.
Make/ Maker: Tozan Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Flower Vase, 1830
Ceramic
Broad, rectangular vase with a narrow, cylindrical neck. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with umbelliferous plants in underglaze blue.
Make/ Maker: Kinkozan (Kyoto, Japan)
Tea Ceremony Cup, 1810
Ceramic
Rounded cup of cream pottery painted in cream crackled glaze. Decorated with fujimon (two sprays of flowers and three leaves) in blue enamel.
Make/ Maker: Kinkozan Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Fish Dish, 1908
Ceramic
Beige pottery dish in the shape of a long, narrow diamond. Painted in grey crackled glaze and decorated with paulownia leaves in blue and green enamel.
Make/ Maker: Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Water Pot, 1700
Ceramic
Pottery water jar painted in light brown crackle glaze. Decorated with a floral design in enamel and gilt. The lid is topped with a small, moulded figure, possibly Jurojin, one of the Seven Lucky Gods.
Make/ Maker: Old Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Yamashiro, Japan)
Tea Ceremony Cup, 1800
Ceramic
Dark clay tea bowl with a flared rim, unglazed exterior and white glazed interior. Decorated with an unusual design of plants, priests and animals.
Make/ Maker: Kinkozan (Kyoto, Yamashiro, Japan)
Sake Bottle, 1700
Ceramic
Tall sake bottle with oval body and long thin neck. Painted in beige crackled glaze and decorated with four panels of bamboo and abstract patterns in blue, green and gilt.
Make/ Maker: Old Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Powder Pot (Bottle and Stopper), 1820
Ceramic
Small bottle with sides pressed in to form square with a round base. Sides slope in gently to shoulder then sharply to small mouth. Light brown pottery painted in cream coloured glaze. Decorated with a scene of a temple amongst pine trees in red, green and blue enamel.
Make/ Maker: Kyomizu Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Plate, 1850
Ceramic
Round dish with five indentations in rim and shallow horizontal grooves both inside and out. Painted in cream crackled glaze and decorated with hawk perching on pine branch in underglaze blue and brown.
Make/ Maker: Kinkozan Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Vase, 1880
Ceramic
Hanging vase of pottery in form of an arrow flight. The shaft of the arrow is partly painted in gilt while the feathers are decorated with green and white crackle glaze.
Make/ Maker: Possible Makuzo Ware (Yokohama, Japan
Brush Pot
Ceramic
Shallow, course pottery brush pot. Painted in blue Glaze and decorated with floral scrollwork in yellow, green and white.
Sake Bottle, 1855
Ceramic
Dark clay sake bottle painted in cream glaze. Decorated with an image of sparrows flying through bamboo trees in underglaze blue and brown.
Right Hand Side of Case
Vase
Ceramic
Tall, flared vase with red and white dragon decoration.
Pot and Cover
Ceramic
Large, rounded pot decorated with fishes swimming through a swirling, water-like pattern in red, white, green and blue glaze.
Plate, Early 1900s
Porcelain
Round dish with a fluted rim and painted with a gold geometric pattern around the edge and small clusters of flowers in blue, orange and yellow. Decorated with three cranes standing with a fledgling.
Plate, Early 1900s
Porcelain
Round dish with a fluted rim and painted with a gold geometric pattern around the edge and small clusters of flowers in blue, orange and yellow. Decorated with water birds, stood and in flight.
Cup
Ceramic
Small, deep round cup with white, terracotta and gold decoration showing different scenes of domestic life and landscapes.
Pair of Vases
Ceramic
Tall vases with a narrow neck which flare out at the top. Decoration is a floral swirl design in gold.
Man with Bird Figurine
Ceramic
Figure of a Japanese man in traditional dress with a moustache looking down with a white bird perched on his right arm. Man’s dress is red, blue and white with gold swirling decoration.
Incense Burner
Ceramic
Small round pot in white with decoration of a gold dragon over a blue random pattern. The dark brown lid from above is in the pattern of a flower with the petals pierced out to let the incense out.
Shrine
Pocket-sized shrine in two lenticular halves. The exterior is decorated with kanji character in gold hiramakie on nashii ground. The interior is hallowed out and carved with two figures in high relief – Aizen My-o on the right and Fudo Myo-o on the left.
Jar with Lid
Lacquer
Slightly convex cylindrical jar with small, tight-fitting lid. Decorated with a flower pattern in shades of gold hiramakie and takamakie on nashii ground.
Box
Lacquer
Rounded box in red ground sprinkled with silver and gold. Decorated with large chrysanthemums and leaves in gold and rogin hiramakie with kirikane.
Jar
Ceramic
Three layer ‘ginger pot’ shape with tendril foliage decoration.
Vase
Ceramic
Elongated balloon shape vase with a pink and white interlocking geometric pattern covering the entire surface.
Vase
Ceramic
Rounded vase with black base colour and alternating rings of blank, swirling foliage pattern in pale blue and chrysanthemum sprays in orange.
Incense Burner
Ceramic
Small round pot in black with decoration in gold of landscapes and floral designs. There are two small handles either side at the top to allow for hanging. The dark brown lid from above is in the pattern of a flower with the petals pierced out to let the incense out.
Pot and Lid
Ceramic
Large, rounded pot with sections in white, red and black, decorated with a gold swirling pattern throughout. The lid is in black.
Hanging Incense Burner
Ceramic
Small round pot with floral decoration in red, green, blue and white outlined in gold. There are two small handles either side at the top to allow for hanging. The has a small section pierced out to let the incense out.
Make/ Maker: Tateno Ware (Satsuma Province)