Overview
An elegant square ceramic incense burner (koro) featuring iron-brown underglaze painted winter landscapes and figures in the classic Rimpa style.
Preliminary identification
Edo Period Square Ceramic Incense Burner in the Style of Ogata Kenzan with Silver Lid
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Story
During the Edo period, Kyoto's artistic elite transformed everyday tea utensils into poetic masterpieces. This square vessel captures a quiet, snow-covered landscape, inviting the user to contemplate nature's stillness as incense smoke drifted through the silver plover-shaped vents of its lid.
Maker / Origin
Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743) was one of the most celebrated potters of the Edo period, known for his collaborative work with his brother, the painter Ogata Korin. Kenzan's style merged literature, calligraphy, and painting directly onto ceramic bodies, establishing a legacy of highly expressive, painterly pottery that influenced generations of Kyoto ceramicists.
Condition & Value
The ceramic body shows minor glaze flakes, tiny chips (hotsu) along the upper rim, and natural age-related crazing, which are typical for soft-glazed Kyoto ware of this age. The silver lid shows a beautiful, untouched dark patina.
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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 compsRegional 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.