A SMALL CHINESE SHONZUI-TYPE BLUE AND WHITE LID REST FOR THE JAPANESE MARKET

17th Century
十七世紀 外銷東洋青花蓋置

The upper section of the futaoki formed of six petals encircling a central aperture, each petal decorated with a different brocade pattern except for one, which is inscribed with a five-character mark, the waisted sides similarly decorated, with one panel enclosing a seven-character mark,

5cm high
-

PROVENANCE:

Private London collection

來源：

倫敦私人收藏

-

c.f. A related piece, of kosometsuke type, is housed in the collection of the Nakanoshima Kosetsu Museum of Art, Osaka, and is illustrated in Arts of Asia, May-June 2020, p.112, no.12.

Note: Shonzui wares were well-made ceramic pieces crafted in Jingdezhen for the Japanese market, with many orders coming directly from the Japanese tea masters. Shonzui wares are characterised by their implementation of brocade patterns and geometric shapes, as well as for the quality of both potting and the underglaze-blue decoration. The present lot is a lid rest (futaoki), and was used together with other tools as part of the Japanese tea ceremony.