Pair of Meiji Japanese Cloisonne Enamel Vases With Ducks and Floral Scenes

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This finely matched pair of Japanese cloisonne enamel vases, dating to the Meiji period circa 1880 to 1890, represents high … Read more This finely matched pair of Japanese cloisonne enamel vases, dating to the Meiji period circa 1880 to 1890, represents high quality Japanese enamel production of the late nineteenth century. While the specific workshop has not been definitively identified, the form, decorative vocabulary, and technical execution firmly place these vases within the circle of elite Meiji period cloisonne ateliers working at the height of the medium’s international prominence.


Each vase is decorated with a continuous narrative scene featuring ducks and birds in a landscaped setting, shown walking, feeding, and gliding along gently flowing water. The birds are rendered with careful attention to posture and plumage, using finely controlled wirework and softly shaded enamels. Surrounding them are flowering plants, leafy vines, and seasonal blossoms, arranged to create a naturalistic yet balanced composition that wraps seamlessly around each vessel.


The background is executed on a soft white toned ground, animated with lightly drawn landscape elements including rippling water, grasses, and distant foliage. This restrained handling of the ground allows the figural decoration to remain dominant while maintaining visual clarity. The water is articulated through delicate horizontal banding in pale blue and white enamels, a hallmark of accomplished Meiji cloisonne work.


At the shoulder, each vase features a richly patterned band of geometric and floral motifs, executed in harmonized tones of green, blue, and gold. The necks are similarly treated with repeating geometric designs, while the lower sections transition into a deep blue foot decorated with tightly controlled crackle like texture and ornamental borders. These architectural elements give the vases a strong vertical rhythm and demonstrate a high level of planning and technical confidence.


The overall form and decorative scheme closely relate to a larger cloisonne vase of similar shape and period in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, dated to approximately circa 1885. That museum example confirms the popularity of this silhouette and decorative approach among leading Meiji workshops during this period, particularly those producing works intended for export and international exhibition. The similarities in proportion, landscape treatment, and ornamental banding place the present pair securely within this established tradition.


The vases are well preserved, with the enamels retaining good color saturation and surface integrity. As a matched pair, they offer strong visual cohesion and exemplify the refined naturalism and decorative sophistication that characterize high level Meiji period Japanese cloisonne.


This pair would make a compelling addition to a serious private collection or institutional context, representing an important moment in the development of Japanese cloisonne at a time when the medium was achieving unprecedented technical and artistic refinement on the global stage




Condition is very good overall. One vase shows a bend to the base with a small area of enamel loss, clearly visible in the photographs. The second vase has a bend to the rim, with no enamel loss present. Aside from these noted issues, both vases retain excellent surface quality with no significant additional damage.


Each vase measures approximately 10 inches high by 6 inches wide. See less