Edo Period Ko-Imari Blue and White Tiger Large Charger (Ozara)

Story

Japanese potters never saw real tigers in the Edo era, so they painted them based on imported Chinese scrolls and domestic housecats. This legendary beast was believed to be the only creature fast enough to safely navigate dense bamboo.

Maker / Origin

Produced in the renowned porcelain kilns of Arita, these large presentation dishes were created for daimyo banquets and wealthy merchant households. The master painters worked swiftly with cobalt oxide (gosu) on raw unfired clay before glazing and firing at intense temperatures exceeding 1300°C.

Condition & Value

Displays honest kiln character, surface utensil wear, and firing pinholes typical of Edo porcelain. The base shows authentic spur marks (hari-ato) and an unglazed footrim. A faint line visible near the left bamboo should be physically examined to distinguish a glaze firing separation from a later hairline crack.