Fukagawa 20th Century Vase

[Kaaren B.]

I know the focus here is on older items, and my own taste runs to traditional in both Asian and European ceramics, but I know there are Fukagawa collectors here, so thought I would post. This was another estate sale find ($15), and it shows the gorgeous deep blue glaze that the company is famed for. KB

[Stan]

Hi Kaaren, Fukagawa is my favorite Japanese porcelain, unfortunately, these marks are still being used to day, if this dated to the 1900 or so, the inside of the vase at the bottom tells a lot, but also this decoration is modern, I have one that has the same mark and decoration beautiful vase, mine is shaped like a bottle vase and has a very small opening at the mouth, could you take a photo of the inside bottom that would be great.

[Kaaren B.]

When I researched it, I found that this and the Koransha mark have been used throughout the 20th century, so it's hard to tell, but the design is so modern that I just assumed it was late 20th century or so.

There is something so fine (I mean in the literal not figurative sense) about their porcelain, and the only thing I have ever seen in nature that has the heavenly look of that blue glaze was a glimpse in an auction of a top quality Kashmir sapphire. It's the first thing I thought of when I saw this.

I think I got a great deal at $15!

I will try to photograph the inside bottom. K.

[Kaaren B.]

Stan, here is the best I could do of the inside bottom. I wanted natural light but evening is setting in. I hope you can see.

I also provided a closeup of the foot-rim, which I didn't think showed in the photo I provided of the mark earlier. KB.

[Stan]

Thanks for the additional photo's, looks like it was hand turned, some of them look like they were done in a mold, The vase I have looks like glass until you look at the bottom and you see the unglazed foot rim and know that it is porcelain very high end item, I would like to know how they do this glaze, It almost looks like a Flambé, I wonder if it is ground glass and brushed on and then fired i'm not sure.

[Kaaren B.]

Thanks for the additional information about what an unglazed foot rim might indicate. I did not know this.

This luminous blue glaze is an interesting contrast to the color produced by cobalt, don't you think?

The effect of cobalt underglaze is often very beautiful, but it doesn't have the transparency of this, it's heavier/deeper.

I know very little about techniques, so I'm glad to be finding things like this out here.

Here is an interesting fact I found recently about cobalt via two items in my European collection by the same company.

I have two teacup sets with the same "blue onion" design, both by Winterling. One is from the 1920s, when the laborious process for controlling cobalt under glaze wasn't as refined as later on. This gave the design a softer look.

But in the 1950s, Winterling developed a process that made the cobalt easier to control under the glaze, and so their designs became sharper. I bought the second teacup set for contrast, but prefer the earlier one.

I know cobalt is used in Asian ceramics, particularly Japanese late export "Satsuma style", but it seems as if it's always used as accent or background, not for detailed design.

I am wondering if the process of controlling cobalt in Japanese porcelain was still too difficult to use in primary design?

Sorry to stray off topic, but I thought the contrast between the blues of cobalt and this Fukagawa glaze interesting. KB

[Stan]

Hi Kaaren, Here is a little bit of History concerning Fukagawa, Ezaiemon Fukagawa started the Koransha co. in 1875, his 2 sons worked there, after his death his oldest son took over the company, the mark often seen on Koransha was the Orchid mark which meant " Sent of the Orchid ". Chuji his younger brother started his own company in 1894 and he used the mark with the Mt. and stream which is the mark you have, He was very talented and prolific in 1900 he won the medaille d'or with a flower vase and later afterwards was made purveyer of the Japanese Imperial house hold.

[Kaaren B.]

Thanks for that history, I didn't see that anywhere when I looked up the mark to try and date the piece. So that purveyor status to the imperial household is something like the "Royal Warrant" the British royals give purveyors they favor? Paragon China holds such a "Warrant".

I don't have any piece with the Koransha mark, just two with the mountain and stream mark - those cups without handles that you saw, and this vase with the Mountain and Stream mark.

I am curious if the two marks originally indicated a difference in style of desigh that each brother established, or if by now, those original differences aren't obvious any longer.

[Stan]

Koransha and Mount Fuji with stream, have differences, I think that Chuji was more skillful as an artist potter, but so was Ezaiemon had he continued his company, his brother was more commercial and made insulators made of porcelain for electrical applications along with dishes and not so much as Chuji Fukagawa. A good book to get is " Japanese Porcelain 1800-1950 by Nancy Schiffer, Expanded 2nd Edition ", it shows and dates Chuji's works, and the various marks that he signed.

[Kaaren B.]

I will look the book up, thanks for the information, as always. Insulators made of porcelain! Wow! KB