Japanese Porcelain Kutani Small Ewer Meiji Period

A delicate, finely painted Japanese Kutani ewer with minute painting, beading, and gilding.

Finely potted porcelain in the shape of a small ewer with a spout and a C-shaped handle. It has a tiny lid that fits snugly. The porcelain is decorated with over-glazed enamels and gilt. There are medallions on each side with paintings on one side of a Geisha with children in the landscape and on the other side are a series of three panels with birds, and a mountain temple. There is beading at the neck and along the side of the mountain. The decoration is so very tiny. It must have been painted with a single hairbrush. The decoration is all-encompassing. The raised foot is not glazed but the base is.

There are three Japanese characters in the gilt at the base of the spout.

MEASUREMENTS
5” (12.7 cm) tall x 4” (10.2 cm) long x 2 ¼” (5.7 cm) diameter. Weighs 3.8 oz (110 g)

CONDITION
There are no cracks, chips, or breaks. There is very tiny wear at the mouth rim. The band at the bottom of the neck has a small spot directly above the spout where the enamel is missing. Some gilding along the band around the neck is worn. Otherwise, there is very little wear.

The workmanship is incredible and not to be repeated in today’s world. It took many hours to make. A true little gem.