Preliminary identification
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Overview
An exquisite Kutani porcelain charger featuring the dense, all-over floral 'Hanazume' (flower-packing) style. Hand-painted with vibrant enamels and highlighted with fine gold detailing, it showcases a lush garden of peonies, chrysanthemums, and hydrangeas. The reverse bears the red square mark of the Chunzan kiln and the artist Wakamura Shikō.
Story
Originating in Ishikawa Prefecture, this style represents a centuries-old obsession with filling every millimeter of porcelain with life. This specific floral pattern, known as Hanazume, was designed to mimic a textile pattern so dense that the white porcelain underneath completely disappears.
Maker / Origin
The piece was produced at the Chunzan Kiln (椿山窯) and painted by the skilled Kutani artist Wakamura Shikō (若村紫紅). Shikō is celebrated for mastering the incredibly tedious 'Hanazume' technique, which requires a steady hand to outline each petal in gold before filling them with rich, glassy enamels.
Condition & Value
The charger appears to be in excellent vintage condition with no visible chips, cracks, or hairline fractures. The gold detailing along the rim and within the floral petals shows minimal wear, suggesting it was kept safely as a cabinet display piece. Excellent preservation of the gold gilding commands a premium.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
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.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.