Is all Imari Japanese?

No. Japanese porcelain from the Kyushu kilns dominates, named in about half the titles on Sellingantiques, but the same palette was used by Chinese export kilns and by English porcelain and ironstone factories. When a listing says "in the Imari palette" it is describing colours. That phrasing turns up throughout the English and Chinese material.

What form turns up most often?

Bowls and chargers, by a wide margin. Between them they account for close to half the titles, with dishes, plates and jars and covers behind. The typical piece is a Japanese bowl or charger of the later 19th or early 20th century. Figures, incense burners and ewers appear only occasionally.

How old is the oldest Imari on the site?

The dated field runs from 1700 to 1930. The earliest titles reach back further in their wording, with a charger and a bijin described as circa 1690 and a wine bottle put before 1700. About half the listings carry a clean year at all. The rest use period brackets or Japanese era names.

Why do some titles say Meiji instead of a date?

Japanese period names are used as dating shorthand. Meiji covers 1868 to 1912, Genroku sits around the turn of the 18th century, and Edo covers the long stretch before 1868. English reign labels work the same way in this category, with Victorian and Georgian appearing alongside or instead of years.

What are barbers' bowls?

Shaving bowls with a cut-out for the neck. They are a recurring curiosity in this category, showing up in both the Japanese and Chinese strands. Where they appear they are dated to roughly 1700 to 1750, so they belong with the earlier material rather than the export wares of the late 19th century.

Does size affect where a piece sits?

It does. Large appears in around a fifth of titles, and where diameters are stated the chargers climb from 39.5cm through 47cm and 55cm to 63cm. Two wall chargers at 71cm sit at the very top of the range.

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Antique Imari

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Imari is porcelain and pottery painted in underglaze blue, iron red and gold, made in Japan for export and later copied by Chinese and English factories for the western table and mantelpiece.