Japanese Imari Porcelain Shallow Bowl / Dish, Meiji to Taisho Period

Story

Born in Japan's historic Arita kilns around 1900, this dish carried centuries of porcelain mastery directly onto Western tables. A tiny iron spot in the glaze reveals the natural minerals of traditional wood-fired climbing kilns.

Maker / Origin

While unsigned—as was common for production wares of this era—this piece comes from the Arita ceramic tradition in Saga Prefecture, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain. Kilns in this region specialized in export porcelain known globally as 'Imari' (named after the port from which it shipped), perfecting vivid multi-colored overglaze enameling over bright cobalt underglaze.

Condition & Value

The dish appears structurally intact with no obvious large rim chips or hairline cracks visible, though a prominent dark iron inclusion/firing burst is present on the decorative border. Kiln flaws are typical for the era and mildly soften value rather than destroying it.