Late 19th Century Meiji Satsuma Moriage Footed Bowl by Hododa, Yokohama

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An accomplished Japanese Satsuma earthenware footed bowl from the Meiji period, dating from the late 19th century and bearing the … Read more An accomplished Japanese Satsuma earthenware footed bowl from the Meiji period, dating from the late 19th century and bearing the mark of the Hododa house of Yokohama. The deep bowl is raised on a flared pedestal foot framed by wavy relief-moulded borders, with a border of large raised gilt beads at the rim. Its warm cream glaze, finely and evenly crackled, is richly decorated in overglaze enamels, gold and moriage raised enamel.

A cobalt band of hatched gold triangles runs beneath the rim. The body alternates cobalt panels, where gilt maple leaves float on stylised waves, with cream reserves painted with a lakeside landscape, chrysanthemums and peonies with every petal outlined in gold, and lilies and autumn grasses beneath flying birds. The birds' plumage is rendered feather by feather, and the cream grounds are dusted with minute, evenly spaced gold dots. The interior shows cascading wisteria in white, lilac-blue, green and crimson, swallows, bands of golden mist, a pheasant with a long gilt tail on a grey rock, turquoise bamboo, and a lakeside view with a vermilion pavilion on piles and two sails. The cobalt foot is painted in gold.

An iron-red rectangular cartouche on the base carries the Shimazu clan mon above 保土田 (Hododa) in gold. Hododa was the Yokohama trading house of Takichi Hododa, which exported Satsuma worldwide from 1897. Its pieces were usually signed only with the firm's name, although the decorators who worked for or with the house included Yoshinobu, Meizan, Masanobu, Taizan and Shozan. The painter of this bowl is not named, but the delicacy of the drawing and the precision of the gilding mark it as a work of the first rank.

Dimensions: Weight 753 g; Diameter 18 cm; Height 11.5 cm.

Condition: UV examination confirms that there is no restoration, repair or repainting. Excellent antique condition, with minor rubbing to the gilding on the cobalt areas. See less