Museum-piece Meiji cloisonné dust plate with sparrows

Exceptional, artistically crafted cloisonné powder dish from the shimmering center of the Meiji period, circa 1885–1895. The piece impresses with its masterful quality. The central, circular medallion shows a masterful natural scene in the traditional Kachō-ga style (flowers and birds). Two sparrows (Suzume) depicted in flight – symbols of diligence and luck – flutter among finely shaded pink and white peonies (Botan), which in Japan embody prosperity as the queen of flowers. They are bordered by delicate bamboo branches on a radiant, immaculate light blue enamel ground. The detail of the wires (cloisons) in the central motif as well as in the mythological border figures is of museal quality. A digital measurement of the contour wires confirms a masterful thickness consistently under 0.1 mm (0.06 to 0.09 mm), the width of a human hair. These ultra-thin cells contrast masterfully with the thicker, modulated separating wires of the brocade segments (approx. 0.18 to 0.25 mm) – a clear hallmark of demanding wire modulation. The broad, asymmetric border is opulent in the fan and brocade style. A special quality feature of refined workshops of the famous Nagoya School (Hayashi Kodenji / Ando milieu) is the extensive, extremely dense use of exquisite aventurine enamel (goldstone effect with glittering copper scales in the dark blue and brown ground). Into the geometric and fan-shaped segments are integrated high-caliber symbols of Japanese culture and mythology: • The majestic, snow-covered Mount Fuji as a national symbol. • Flying cranes and imperial paulownia motifs. • An artistically stylized red octopus (Tako), which in mythology serves as a messenger of the Dragon King Ryūjin and stands for resilience. • Black silhouettes of mythological lion-dogs (Shishi) as traditional protectors against evil. The reverse shines in graduated blues and is adorned with finest gilded karakusa tendrils. Good to very good, honest and untouched antique condition. The front displays excellent preservation with deep glass luster. In macro view, the masterful historical kiln firing is evident: the enamel is densely interspersed with aventurine particles and shows the tiny gas inclusions and fine pores typical of late 19th century glass flow. It serves as an unwavering proof of the historical handcraft of the era. It only shows isolated, minimal, age-related surface hairlines in the glass flow, visible only under strong light. The blue enamel back shows a time-appropriate network of fine tension and hairline cracks characteristic of large Meiji plates. There are no bursts and no material losses – the object is 100% unrestored. A highly coveted and rare collector’s item for connoisseurs of East Asian exquisite art. Provenance: since 2001 in our old, well-kept German private collection Meiji Cloisonné Powder Dish with Sparrows, Peonies and Mount Fuji Cloisonné enamel (Yusen-shippō, 有線七宝) on a solid copper core, gilded bronze/brass wires Nagoya School Diameter 305 mm, height 34 mm Weight 968 g Japan, Late Meiji Period (Meiji jidai), ~1885–1895 The dish is packed with great care and shipped insured up to €2,000 with tracking Combined shipping also for different auctions: If you win multiple items from my auctions within 2 days, I will gladly package them together to save shipping costs. Please contact me directly after the first win and wait with payment for the other items. I will then manually adjust the shipping costs for the subsequent, unpaid lots.

Estimation:€700

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