Antique Meiji Japanese Totai Shippo Cloisonne Ceramic Ginger Jar/Birds Butterfly
Item History & Price
This is an antique rare Totai Shippo (totai-jippo) ginger jar (or tea caddy), made during the Meiji era in Japan, featuring birds and butterflys. It has a mark on the bottom. This artform represents a brief (about 30 years) foray into applying cloisonne onto ceramics (porcelain or earthenware), rather than metal. The process was experimental, and very difficult, which ultimately led to the demise of this style of artistic work. Totai are no longer produced, and are becoming more collec...tible with time. This jar, which is missing it's lid, features floral designs, in beautifully intense colors, as well as two birds and more than 8 butterflys. It is 4.5 inches tall. There are examples of 'open' wire work on the jar, which became a major technique during the Golden Age of Japanese cloisonne. There appears to be no significant damage to this jar, except for what appears to be a very superficial hairline in the glaze on the bottom. On many of these pieces, the slight 'soiling' noted is often a result of aging varnishes, which had been applied years ago. It's being sold 'as is', Paypal only, and no returns. It is only being offered to buyers with a mailing address in the U.S.A.. I will be listing more Totai over the next several weeks, and will combine S&H charges. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.
