Antique Japanese Porcelain & Lacquerware

Heirlooms for living

Antique tableware—such as Ko-Imari porcelain and antique lacquerware—is still abundantly available, making it fun and easy to collect a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns, and colors. Without spending a fortune you can add antiques to everyday table settings.

Ko-Imari Porcelain

A dazzling kaleidoscope of patterns and colors in the world of porcelain

Admired by European nobility, Imari vessels and decorative wares were exported overseas from the mid-17th century. It was Imari that inspired Meissen and other European manufacturers and charmed the Continent. Every inch of Ko- (old) Imari was hand-painted with decorative motifs by skilled craftsmen. Because they are fired in a multi-chambered "climbing kiln," pieces are slightly warped and each is subtly different in color. In the hand they exude an unforgettable warmth. Carefully crafted for durability, many pieces remain in use today.

ko imari dish koimari

Ko-Imari dishes range up to more than 30 centimeters in diameter. Medium-sized plates, measuring 7-sun (roughly 21 centimeters) and 8-sun (roughly 25 centimeters), are most popular. Not only are they the ideal size for buffet-style parties, the hand-painted patterns give the table a touch of splendor.

For ko-imari, see our listing for Tessaido antique shop.

Ko-Imari white porcelain's grace and warmth

Japanese hakuji, or white porcelain, has been produced in the Arita area of Kyushu since the early 17th century. What is called "Ko-Imari white porcelain" actually includes different delicate glazes ranging from pure white and transparent to green tinged and milky. All hakuji made in the early- and mid-Edo period (roughly up to the mid-1700s) is subtly warped in form and not entirely smooth or glassy. White, yes, but each piece exudes a distinct warmth and expression.

Ko-Imari hakuji has the grace of an antique, yet actually gives a table a modern appearance. It sets off Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine, and in the last few years has become one of the antique world's most popular items.

hakuji white porcelain Early and mid-Edo-period Ko-Imari white porcelain looks simple but is crafted so thinly and delicately that some pieces appear almost translucent. Some bear incised motifs, others embossed patterns. The porcelain seems even richer when held in the hand.

For ko-imari white porcelain (hakuji), see our listing for Tsukuda antique shop.

Urushi — Japanese Lacquerware

Today's designers find early 20th-century lacquerware surprisingly modern

Viewed with contemporary eyes, antique urushi appears fresh and modern in design. It even looks attractive combined with Western tableware, making the progressive nature of early designs seem all the more timeless. Because craftsmen of the late Edo and early Meiji periods applied coat upon coat of pure Japanese lacquer to their wares by hand, the pieces are incredibly strong. Isn't it therefore wiser to use long-lived period pieces that show their patina gracefully than to opt for expensive new pieces that one is afraid to mar? Urushi "lives" a thousand years or more, and contrary to what one might think, it actually increases in luster and brilliance after one or two hundred years of use.

lacquer bowls Japanese lacquerware

To fully appreciate the virtues of Japanese lacquer we particularly recommend using the soup bowl. Lacquer is heat insulating, which keeps the soup warm while the bowl remains cool to the touch.

For urushi, see our listing for Uruwashiya antique shop.

Articles from the 2004 SPRING issue:

Kateigaho International Edition Issues:

2005 SUMMER - 2005 SPRING - 2005 WINTER

2004 AUTUMN - 2004 SUMMER - 2004 SPRING - 2004 WINTER

2003 AUTUMN - INAUGURAL ISSUE