Fukagawa flower vessel with gracious egrets moriage - marked 'Fukagawa sei 深川製' (beneath Fuji - Porcelain - Fukagawa Seiji (深川製磁) - Japan - Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Flower vessel with gracious egrets, with mark ‘Fukagawa sei 深川製' (beneath Fuji peak) – Fukagawa Seiji 深川製磁 – Arita, Japan – late Shōwa period (c. 1970s–1980s).

An eye-catching relief-moulded porcelain vase with a soft gradation from pure white to sky blue, finished with a fine gold rim. A group of egrets rises from the reeds around the body, modelled white on white so that they appear and disappear with the light.

In Japan, the white egret (shirasagi) is a messenger of purity and grace, a familiar figure of summer rice fields and quiet riverbanks. Here the birds seem to stand in morning mist above the water, the blue deepening at the foot like the shallows beneath them. Placed near a window, the vase changes with every hour: in soft light the egrets almost vanish into the porcelain; in raking light they step forward, neck and wing, as if about to take flight.

Maker: Fukagawa Seiji (深川製磁) is one of the most prestigious manufacturers of Arita porcelain. It was founded in 1894 by Fukagawa Chūji, son of the Fukagawa family behind the Koransha workshop, also in Arita. The company is known for its clear underglaze blue, celebrated as “Fukagawa blue”. A pair of its large vases won a gold medal at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, and in 1910 Fukagawa was appointed official purveyor of porcelain to the Japanese Imperial Household. Pieces bearing the “Mount Fuji and river” mark on the base are highly regarded by connoisseurs worldwide.

Dimensions:
H 28 cm x W 16 cm

Weight:
1.4 kg

This vase is from my personal collection of Japan collectibles. This item is in mint condition, it has no crack, or chip, it has been in house display and regular cleaning care.

For this fine delicate item, double carton boxing will be included for a flawless shipping. Pickup in Northern France is possible.