Ko-Imari Sometsuke Enamel Scalloped Dish (Sometsuke-Nishiki Rinka-mon)

Story

Fired in the kilns of Arita, this 19th-century dish blends underglaze cobalt with rich iron-red and gold enamels. Its motif of irises and birds was crafted for lavish celebratory banquets during Japan's Edo period.

Maker / Origin

While unsigned—typical for domestic Hizen porcelain of the era—this piece was crafted by skilled potters in the Arita kiln region of Hizen Province. By the late Edo period, workshops refined division-of-labor methods, allowing masterful painters to apply complex polychrome enamels and gilded highlights over flawlessly thrown porcelain bodies.

Condition & Value

Appears to be in very good antique condition with vibrant enamel retention and minimal gilt rubbing. The unglazed foot shows typical kiln grit and age patina consistent with late Edo firing; old dealer adhesive tape and paper labels remain on the base.