Ko-Imari Sometsuke Sake Bottle (Tokkuri)

Story

Fired in Edo-period Arita, this bottle's pattern celebrates the Japanese hand drum and festive silk cords. Complete with its original lacquer stopper, it survived over 250 years of banquets and tea gatherings.

Maker / Origin

Produced by unnamed artisan potters in the legendary kilns of Arita (Hizen Province), which supplied the domestic warrior and merchant classes as well as global trade networks. The box inscription is attributed by note to Sakuro Yamashita, a respected Japanese antique ceramic researcher.

Condition & Value

The porcelain body shows minor kiln firing iron specks and minor kiln debris on the unglazed foot ring consistent with early Arita firings; the owner reports no hairline cracks or chips beneath the lacquer stopper. The presence of the matching black lacquer stopper and inscribed wooden box substantially supports preservation value.