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A Pair of Totai Cloisonne Covered Jars - Edo/Meiji

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All Items: Hidden:Viewable: Pre 1900: item # 844282

Please refer to our stock # ICHI 4239 when inquiring.

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Ichiban Japanese & Oriental Antiques
Post Office Box 395
Marion, CT 06444-0395
203.272.7392

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$895.00

A Pair of Totai Cloisonne  Covered Jars - Edo/Meiji
This is a very handsome pair of Octagonal Jars with wooden lids – possibly intended as tea caddies or just storage jars. They are two of the most delicately designed examples of totai that we have seen. The term totai technique is known as 'Totai shippo' and is very difficult to make. This is an extremely difficult ceramic technique, which lasted for only a few years in the early Meiji period. It consisted of making a Satsuma earthenware base and then placing a cloisonne design over the base piece and firing it. The technique only lasted for a few years in the late Edo to early Meiji period, circa 1850-1875 because so many pieces did not fire properly.

Each of the jars has different designs in each of the eight sides – primarily a myriad of small floral designs – with the eight edges outlined in white dots. The tops of the jars have a simple border of green and orange roundelay half circles. The bases are plain black. One of the jars has a crack in the wooden lid and there are a number of chips on the top of the tiny circular lid holder - however, these cannot be seen when the lid is on. The other has a perfect wooden lid and the top of the lid circular holder is pristine. There are no chips or cracks to the bodies of the jars.

It is quite rare to find a matched set of such jars in such excellent condition. They would make an excellent addition to any collection of cloisonne or Satsuma. They measure 6” high to the top of the wooden lid and are 3 ½” diameter at the edges of the eight corners of the octagon.



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