Vintage Japanese Kutani Hand Painted Geisha Vases Pair Mount Fuji Antique Style
£40.00
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Vintage Japanese Kutani Hand Painted Geisha Vases Pair Mount Fuji Antique Style
£40.00
Item Overview
- Type: Baluster Miniature Vases
- Designer: Showa Period Ceramic Artisan
- Brand: Kutani (九谷) Studio Craft
- Manufacturer: Komeiji (Komeiji-zo / 米明造)
- Place of Origin: Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
- Style: Traditional Imperial Kutani Aka-e / Kinrande Style
- Colour: Coral Iron Red, Polychrome Enamels, Burnished Gold, Cream White Ground
- Design Era: Mid-20th Century Showa Era (c. 1950s)
- Material: Fine Eggshell Translucent Porcelain
- Set Includes: Matching Pair of 2 Mirror-Image Vases
- Features: Hand-Painted Geisha Girls, Mount Fuji Landscape, Moriage Enamel Borders, Gilt Accents
- Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition
- Size and capacity: Height 16cm (Approx 6.3 inches) — Please verify dimensions against the gallery ruler images
Dating & Historical Context
- Dating: This matching pair dates to the mid-20th Century Showa Era (c. 1950s). The characterful overglaze iron-red palette, known historically as Aka-e, mixed with mid-century export styling, is diagnostic of the post-WWII revival of Ishikawa ceramic studios.
- Historical Note: This set bears the distinct red hand-painted maker's mark on the base reading "Komeiji" (米明) or "Komeiji-zo". Kutani porcelain, originating from the "Nine Valleys" region, is highly celebrated globally for its bold use of iron reds and hand-applied gold leaf linings. Produced during a peak period of Western fascination with traditional Japanese culture, these vases display an exquisite depiction of traditional bijin-ga (beautiful women or Geishas) strolling along a lakeside garden. [1]
Description
A truly stunning pair of mid-century Japanese Kutani porcelain baluster vases, hand-decorated with breathtaking miniature landscapes. Each vase showcases a classic export scene of elegant Geisha ladies holding a traditional parasol alongside a meticulously detailed mountain village, all set against the iconic snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji looming in the background.
A truly stunning pair of mid-century Japanese Kutani porcelain baluster vases, hand-decorated with breathtaking miniature landscapes. Each vase showcases a classic export scene of elegant Geisha ladies holding a traditional parasol alongside a meticulously detailed mountain village, all set against the iconic snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji looming in the background.
Expert Identification & Design Features:
- Mirror-Image Craftsmanship: Intentionally created as a matching pair, the compositions mirror each other beautifully, making them exceptional as symmetrical mantel or sideboard focal points.
- Kinrande & Crimson Borders: The flared rim and foot are wrapped in rich, solid iron-red borders accented with delicate gold scrollwork, a nod to the ancient imperial Kinrande brocade styles.
- Moriage Textile Details: The kimonos display fine, raised enamel textures (moriage work) that give a tactile dimension to the cherry blossoms and floral gardens spreading around the lower base.
Condition Report
This pair is in excellent vintage condition, exhibiting remarkable preservation for delicate mid-century eggshell porcelain. The hand-painted enamels remain exceptionally vibrant with no significant fading, and the burnished gold scroll accenting shows only trace, age-appropriate micro-rubbing. There are absolutely no structural cracks, chips, hairlines, or past repairs to the rims, bodies, or bases. The interior glaze is perfectly clean and free from water staining.
This pair is in excellent vintage condition, exhibiting remarkable preservation for delicate mid-century eggshell porcelain. The hand-painted enamels remain exceptionally vibrant with no significant fading, and the burnished gold scroll accenting shows only trace, age-appropriate micro-rubbing. There are absolutely no structural cracks, chips, hairlines, or past repairs to the rims, bodies, or bases. The interior glaze is perfectly clean and free from water staining.
Shipping & Logistics
- Domestic Shipping: FREE UK TRACKED DELIVERY.
- Packaging: Securely double-boxed with high-density foam wrapping and biodegradable cushioning to guarantee both fragile porcelain structures arrive intact.
- Dispatch: Order before 12.00pm and we ship same day.
Returns & Payment Policies
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
- Not as Described: In the unlikely event of an error in our listing, we will provide a full refund and cover the return postage costs.
- Change of Mind: We accept returns within 30 days; however, in these instances, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs.