Preliminary identification

Japanese Arita Porcelain Plate with Scholar and Persimmon Tree

Photo reference

1 uploaded photo

Overview

A beautiful Japanese porcelain plate featuring a hand-painted scene of a scholar or merchant resting on a veranda beneath a fruiting persimmon tree. The design masterfully combines underglaze cobalt blue with delicate overglaze polychrome enamels in orange, yellow, and green. The reverse features a hand-painted blue underglaze maker's mark.

Story

In Meiji-era Japan, artists captured the quiet beauty of daily life for a global audience. This plate depicts a scholar enjoying a moment of autumn peace, symbolized by the ripe persimmons hanging overhead.

Maker / Origin

The plate bears a hand-painted underglaze blue mark on the reverse, likely associated with one of the many skilled family-run kilns operating in the historic Arita region. Arita has been the beating heart of Japanese porcelain production since the early 17th century, famous for its pure white clay and vibrant cobalt underglazes.

Condition & Value

The plate appears to be in excellent antique condition with no visible chips, cracks, or hairline fractures. The overglaze enamels on the persimmons and the scholar's apron remain bright and intact with minimal rubbing. Excellent condition like this helps secure the higher end of the value range.

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Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.

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Market Analysis

Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.

Value Drivers

  • Strong maker attribution with credible period details
  • Better-than-average condition for the category
  • Broader demand rises when presentation and finish feel intact

Concerns

  • Decorative-only demand limits the ceiling
  • Surface wear or missing provenance can compress the range fast
  • Regional sale lanes often underperform specialist venues

Best Venue

Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.

Comparable Sales

5 comps
Regional auction· Jun 2024
$1,280

Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.

Dealer archive· Mar 2024
$1,450

Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.

Marketplace sale· Jan 2024
$980

Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.

Estate platform· Oct 2023
$1,150

Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.

Auction result· Aug 2023
$1,375

Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.