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The history of antique Japanese Pottery can be traced back thousands of years to the Joman culture (10000 B.C.to
3000 B.C.) .But these were more earthenware pottery .In the 8th to 9th century A.D.,manufacture of "porcelain " in specially designed kilns was invented in China . improve eyesight Slowly artisans with this knowledge spread out to Korea too .Till about the 17th century , Japan mostly imported its porcelain ; indigenous production included only unglazed pottery for day to day requirements .But after the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 and 1598 , native potters were brought over to Arita in Japan from Korea who established many different types of specialized kilns all over Japan. These lead to the birth of the different types of popular Japanese porcelain styles. The Tea ceremony being an important ritual, this porcelain started to be used extensively duting the Edo period (1603-1867) with Japanese theme variations to provide us with a rich cache' of some of the finest creative treasures .
Some of the more famous Japanese Pottery include the Arita-Imari , the satsuma , Seto-yaki and so-on.
Arita -Imari -
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Till the 16th century ,the white porcelain raw material , Celadon was imported from China .During 16th century , for the first time , raw material was discovered in Arita and the first true Japanese porcelain was produced . Since this was being shipped from the port at Imari , it is also synonymously used with the Imari porcelain .
The popular among these Imari is Kinrande , a colored porcelain with an underglaze of cobalt blue run over with a red and gold overglaze .Other Imari styles include the blue and white Imari (shoki-Imari), the kakeimon ,the Nabeshima Imari characterized by its noble design and so on.The These Imari porcelains have a gritty base which is left unglazed . These wares usually include extensive gilding s often in densely patterned compartments .
Seto-yaki -
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Produced in Aichi , this is the most produced Japanese pottery and the word Seto -yaki or seto-mono has come to symbolize and is used synonymously with Japanese pottery by many .
Satsuma -
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First produced in the Satsuma domain in the 16th century , this style has gained popularity as a collectable item . Characteristically it has an easy-to-identify, soft ivory-colored crackle glaze and intricate polychrome and gold decorations . These basic design features were used to embellish various objects depicting landscapes , people ,warriors and gods both inside and outside . Colors used were beige, green and other muted shades, often with added gold decoration. By the 1930s , art -deco styles ,especially pictures of irises , became more popular .Patterns also started moving towards the more bold accents , with larger figures ,darker colors and more black accents,moving away from the traditional delicate patterns . "Monumental" vases ,more than 18 inches high , are especially popular today. . They're large enough to look as if they belong on the floor .
Here are a few pointers to selecting Japanese porcelain -
- Look for brown rims on the edge of plates -these signify quality.
- Additional painted on figures such as animals, birds or insects will all add value to the piece .
- Look for any disfiguration of design , black speckling , worn gildings , scratched enamels or blistered glazes on the
Antique Porcelains-if present , avoid these at all costs-they reduce the value .
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