How do I identify Meiji period pieces?

Meiji period items often exhibit exceptionally fine silver wirework and naturalistic motifs like birds and flowers. Makers during this era achieved new technical heights in crispness and scale. Examine the base and surface for signatures and specialised techniques such as ginbari. These elements help distinguish late nineteenth-century output from later reproductions.

What is totai shippo porcelain?

Totai shippo refers to cloisonne enamel applied over a porcelain body instead of a traditional metal base. This technique produces plates and vessels with distinct translucent qualities. Such pieces combine ceramic potting traditions with meticulous metal wire and enamel application. They represent a specialised branch of Japanese decorative arts.

How were large chargers displayed?

Large chargers and decorative plates were traditionally manufactured for display on stands or hung on walls rather than used for food. Their intricate pictorial scenes of dragons and landscapes were meant to be admired as focal points. The substantial weight and wide diameters of these chargers required sturdy wooden stands or specialised wall mounts. Today, they serve a similar decorative function in domestic interiors.

What does a signature indicate?

Signatures on the base or edge of a piece point to the workshop or individual artist responsible for its creation. Master craftsmen such as Ando Jubei marked their superior productions. Signed works usually reflect higher standards of design and technical execution. They provide collectors with a clearer attribution to specific Meiji or Showa period ateliers.

Home > Japanese Cloisonne Art > Page 2

Japanese Cloisonne Art

22 items · page 2 of 2

← Page 2 of 2 →

Japanese cloisonne art comprises intricate enamel vessels and plates featuring birds, dragons, and flowers, prized for meticulous metalwork and vibrant colour.