Douglas E. Ross
Late-Nineteenth- and Early-Twentieth-Century Japanese Domestic Wares from British Columbia

Ceramics in America 2012

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Japanese towns and cities mentioned in the text. 

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Bowl, Japan, ca. 1870. Porcelain. D. 4 3/8". Blue fukizumi stencil design of cherry blossoms. (All objects courtesy of the author; unless otherwise noted, all photos by the author.)

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Bowl, Japan, 1875–1920. Porcelain. D. 4 5/8". Blue katagami stencil design of cherry blossoms. 

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Pickle dish, Japan, 1890–1920. Porcelain. D. 5 15/16". Blue transfer-printed design of pine, plum, and bamboo in reserve panels with a central peony medallion. Panels are separated by diaper patterns of stylized fish roe, fish scales, waves, and the Seven Jewels motif.

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Teacup, Japan, ca. 1890. Porcelain. D. 3". Blue and pink transfer-printed design of a plum tree. 

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Rice-bowl lid, Japan, ca. 1870. Porcelain. D. 3 15/16". Blue painted design of crossed bamboo stalks. 

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Bowl fragment, Japan, ca. 1875. Porcelain. D. 4 3/4". Blue and pink painted plum blossoms with resist accents. 

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Celadon teacup, Japan, late 19th–early 20th century. Porcelain. D. 3 1/8". Green glaze with kasuri-mon decoration. 

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Bowl, Japan, late 19th–early 20th century. Porcelain. D. 4 3/4". Splashes of brown wash on rim and flattened facets around lower body. 

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Bowl, Japan, ca. 1890. Porcelain. D. 4 11/16". Painted with blue and brown washes and incised lines around base. 

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    Teapot-shoulder fragment, Japan, ca. 1885. Porcelain. D. 3 3/8". Blue painted floral designs around neck and sharkskin glaze on body. 

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    Profile drawings of Japanese ceramic tablewares from Don Island.

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Reverse of the pickle dish illustrated in fig. 4, showing snake-eye base and blue printed plum blossoms around the rim.

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14

    Eggcup fragments, Japan, ca. 1890. D. 1 3/4". Porcelain. Overglaze-red transfer-printed design in Geisha Girl pattern.

  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Sake bottle (tokkuri), Japan, ca. 1890. Porcelain. H. 6 11/16". (Courtesy, Asian American Comparative Collection, University of Idaho, AACC-98-53.) 

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Sake bottles (saka-bin) Japan, late 19th–early 20th century. Stoneware. H. (left) 11 1/4", (right) 8 1/2". (Courtesy, Asian American Comparative Collection, University of Idaho. AACC-94-82, CCC-82-8.) 

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Mortar bowl, Japan, late 19th–early 20th century, recovered from Don Island. Stoneware with combed interior. D. 14 3/16". See profile drawing in fig. 18.

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Profile drawing of the mortar bowl (suribachi) illustrated in fig. 17. 

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Teacup, Japan, late 19th–early 20th century. Earthenware. D. 2 3/4". Undecorated with clear glaze. 

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Teacup, Japan, late 19th–early 20th century. D. 2 3/8". Stoneware. Metallic oxide glaze and incised designs on lower body and base. 

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Rim fragment from ceramic frying pan (horoku). Earthenware. D. 14 3/16". 

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Profile drawing of the frying pan fragment illustrated in fig. 21.

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Profile drawing of Japanese ceramic frying pan similar to the one illustrated in fig. 21. Redrawn from Wilson, The Archaeology of Edo, p. 35, no scale.

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Small dish, Japan, ca. 1890. Porcelain. D. 5 1/2". Blue transfer-printed and painted designs of human figures, birds, several kinds of flowers, and geometric diaper pattern.

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Teacup, Japan, ca. 1915. Porcelain. D. 2 3/4". Blue transfer-printed Phoenix Bird pattern.

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Bowl, Japan, ca. 1915. Porcelain. D. 4 5/16". Blue transfer-printed Phoenix Bird pattern. 

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Bowl, Japan, ca. 1875. Porcelain. D. 4 15/16". Celadon bowl with polychrome painted floral design. 

  • Figure 28
    Figure 28

    Bowl, Japan, ca. 1890. Porcelain. D. 4 3/4". Blue transfer-printed plum-tree design inside lightning-bolt reserve panel. 

  • Figure 29
    Figure 29

    Common border designs on Japanese porcelain bowls. 

  • Figure 30
    Figure 30

    Pickle dish, Japan, 1875–1920. Porcelain. D. 5 1/2". Blue stenciled decoration of pine, plum, and bamboo in central medallion. Alternate reserve panels contain clematis blossoms against diaper with Seven Jewels motif.

  • Figure 31
    Figure 31

    Pickle dish, Japan, ca. 1870. Porcelain. D. 5 1/2". Blue painted designs with resist pagoda and flowers in central medallion. 

  • Figure 32
    Figure 32

    Teacup, Japan, ca. 1870. Porcelain. D. 3 3/16". Blue painted Tokugawa-period chrysanthemum design. 

  • Figure 33
    Figure 33

    Bowl, Japan, 1875–1920. ­Porcelain. D. 4 5/16". Blue stenciled decoration with stylized karakusa and Three Philosophers motif in reserve panel. 

  • Figure 34
    Figure 34

    Bowl, Japan, 1895–1920. Porcelain. D. 4 3/4". Blue stenciled military theme. 

  • Figure 35
    Figure 35

    Marks on Japanese ceramics from Don and Lion Islands.