A large mother of pearl and black lacquered porcelain vase, Japan, late Edo

A large porcelain vase with mother-of-pearl decoration of Bijin characters (Beauties), boats on a lake and peony flowers on a black lacquer background, the inside of the neck decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with flowers and karakusa, a mark at the base in underglaze cobalt blue "Made by Hichozan Shinpo Sei", Japan, late Edo period, 19th century

The Hichozan Shinpo-Sei mark was used by the merchant Tashiro Monzaemon (1816-1900) for a production of Imari ceramics produced over a short period between the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period, i.e. around 1860 / 1867 by kilns and potters from Mikawachi, near Arita (Nagasaki prefecture). Its presence not on an Imari but on a lacquered porcelain with a particularly remarkable abalone -based mother-of-pearl decoration is rather unusual and it makes this vase a rare and atypical example among the Japanese productions for the export market.