An Inban Ware Rice Bowl #1: Stencil Applied Design--Hidden Plum Blossom

$32.00 USD

*reduced from $40.00*
late nineteenth century
2 1/4" x 4 1/2" diameter, 5.5 cm x 11.5 cm diameter

Inban ware is a type of every day ceramic from old Japan that uses hand cut stencils to guide its design on to its surface: the stencils used for this purpose are very similar to those used in the katazome dyeing process, which makes Inban ware an interesting counterpart to folk textiles.

Inban ware was only produced for a narrow window of time, roughly from around 1878 to 1898.

This is a rice bowl. When viewed head on you see a simple pattern of striated diamonds, rather hastily applied. If you look carefully you can see how the stencil wrapped around the vessel: there is an overlap in the pattern that indicates this. 

But when the bowl is inverted you can see very easily that the pattern is based on a stylized plum blossom, a delightful surprise.

In good, used condition, the rim of this rice bowl contains a very small chip.

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