Cup (8) - Porcelain - Japanese cups and saucers
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This eight-piece Japanese Hirado porcelain set comprises four handleless cups and four matching saucers, hand-painted in polychrome and dating from the Meiji period, with slight signs of age.
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Description from the seller
Exceptional Set of Four Hand-Painted Polychrome Hirado (Mikawachi) Porcelain Cups and Saucers – Mukuo Family (椋尾), Meiji Period (c. 1880–1910)
Description:
An exceptionally refined and rare set of four hand-painted Japanese porcelain cups and saucers (without handles), made at the renowned Hirado kilns (Mikawachi) in Hizen Province (present-day Nagasaki Prefecture). The set is crafted from exceptionally translucent, high-quality eggshell porcelain.
While traditional Hirado porcelain is best known for its blue-and-white underglaze decoration (sometsuke), this set reflects the masterful transition to polychrome decoration during the late Edo and Meiji periods, specifically catering to the high-end Western export market. The ensemble is richly decorated in the refined Kyoto/Famille Rose style, with sumptuous hand-painted floral motifs (including peonies and camellias) symbolizing nobility and wealth. The decoration features a vivid palette of iron red, green, and delicate gold accents, harmoniously combined with the traditional cobalt-blue underglaze ground.
Marks and signatures:
The underside of both the cups and saucers bears a hand-painted mark in underglaze blue, comprising two vertical columns of Japanese characters:
• Right column: 平戸産 (Hirado-zan / Hirado-san) – “Produced in Hirado.”
• Left column: 椋尾造 (Mukuo-zo) – “Made by Mukuo.”
The Mukuo family were among the most highly respected and officially appointed master artisans (Gosai-nin) at the Hirado clan kilns, renowned for their extraordinary painting and superior porcelain quality.
Details:
• Country of origin: Japan
• Region: Hirado / Mikawachi (Hizen)
• Date: Meiji period (c. 1880–1910)
• Material: Polychrome-painted eggshell porcelain with gilt highlights
• Number of objects: 4 cups and 4 matching saucers (8-piece ensemble)
Condition:
In excellent, undamaged antique condition. No visible chips, hairline cracks, or restorations. Minimal wear to the gilding and painted decoration, consistent with the age and delicate nature of the porcelain.
Exceptional Set of Four Hand-Painted Polychrome Hirado (Mikawachi) Porcelain Cups and Saucers – Mukuo Family (椋尾), Meiji Period (c. 1880–1910)
Description:
An exceptionally refined and rare set of four hand-painted Japanese porcelain cups and saucers (without handles), made at the renowned Hirado kilns (Mikawachi) in Hizen Province (present-day Nagasaki Prefecture). The set is crafted from exceptionally translucent, high-quality eggshell porcelain.
While traditional Hirado porcelain is best known for its blue-and-white underglaze decoration (sometsuke), this set reflects the masterful transition to polychrome decoration during the late Edo and Meiji periods, specifically catering to the high-end Western export market. The ensemble is richly decorated in the refined Kyoto/Famille Rose style, with sumptuous hand-painted floral motifs (including peonies and camellias) symbolizing nobility and wealth. The decoration features a vivid palette of iron red, green, and delicate gold accents, harmoniously combined with the traditional cobalt-blue underglaze ground.
Marks and signatures:
The underside of both the cups and saucers bears a hand-painted mark in underglaze blue, comprising two vertical columns of Japanese characters:
• Right column: 平戸産 (Hirado-zan / Hirado-san) – “Produced in Hirado.”
• Left column: 椋尾造 (Mukuo-zo) – “Made by Mukuo.”
The Mukuo family were among the most highly respected and officially appointed master artisans (Gosai-nin) at the Hirado clan kilns, renowned for their extraordinary painting and superior porcelain quality.
Details:
• Country of origin: Japan
• Region: Hirado / Mikawachi (Hizen)
• Date: Meiji period (c. 1880–1910)
• Material: Polychrome-painted eggshell porcelain with gilt highlights
• Number of objects: 4 cups and 4 matching saucers (8-piece ensemble)
Condition:
In excellent, undamaged antique condition. No visible chips, hairline cracks, or restorations. Minimal wear to the gilding and painted decoration, consistent with the age and delicate nature of the porcelain.
Details
Era
1400-1900
Weight
120 g
Title additional information
Japanese cups and saucers
Number of objects
8
Country of origin
Japan
Material
Porcelain
Dynastic style/period
Meiji period (c. 1880–1910)
Provenance
Private collection
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of ageing
Height
9 cm
Sold with stand
No
Width
13 cm
Diameter
9 cm
Depth
9 cm
Estimated period
1850-1900
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