Teapot - Ceramic - Japanese Kutani Teapot

Antique Japanese Kutani Teapot — Hand-Painted Scholars & Butterflies | Meiji Period | Kobe Mark


This large, generous Kutani teapot is painted in deep iron red and burnished gold of the upper body and lid glowing against the white reserve panels below, each one filled with exquisitely hand-painted miniature scenes of extraordinary delicacy and skill.

Two Sides, Two Stories:
Turn the teapot and the decoration changes completely. On one face, a group of Chinese scholars gathered in conversation beneath bamboo groves — robed figures painted with the kind of fine brushwork that rewards a magnifying glass. On the other, a world of butterflies: dozens of them, each individually painted in different colours and species, hovering around gold-outlined cartouche panels containing landscape scenes of mountains, cherry blossom and traditional buildings. The spout is entirely covered in dense gold-on-red arabesque scrollwork. Every surface has been considered.

The Mark:
The base bears a four-character mark in iron red reading 神戸造 (Kobe-zo — "Made in Kobe"), identifying this as export quality Kutani ware produced in or for the Kobe trading port during the Meiji period — exactly the kind of piece that was highly sought after by Western collectors in the late 19th and early 20th century and continues to be so today.

The Detail:
The lid is entirely covered in dense gold arabesque on deep red, centred on a gold lotus knop. The handle and spout are rich iron red with gold detailing. The foot ring bears a Greek key-style border in red and gold. The interior is clean white glaze.

Condition Note:
There is a small chip to the tip of the spout as shown in the photographs — clearly visible and honestly described.

Measurements:
Height: 19cm (with lid)
Base diameter: 8cm
Weight: approx. 800g