1920s Hand Painted Nippon Lidded Sugar Bowl | Gilt Figural Porcelain (Made in Japan)

Shop > Japanese Pottery and Ceramics

Product: 8455563
  • Product: 8455563
  • Product: 8455563
  • Product: 8455563
  • Product: 8455563
  • Product: 8455563

  • 1920s Hand Painted Nippon Lidded Sugar Bowl | Gilt Figural Porcelain (Made in Japan)

  • £48.00

:  at  £48.00  each

A wonderfully decorative piece of early 20th-century Japanese export porcelain, richly hand decorated with figures, brilliant enamels and extensive gilt detailing. This beautiful lidded sugar bowl immediately caught my eye for the sheer amount of decoration packed into such a small piece. Against a warm gilded ground sit traditionally dressed Japanese figures picked out in deep cobalt blue, green, russet, black and pale blue, with elaborate geometric and scale-like patterns surrounding them. The two sweeping red handles and domed lid give the piece a particularly striking silhouette, while the gilt rim, finial and raised-looking gold decoration make it wonderfully opulent. HISTORY & DATE The base carries a blue circular backstamp reading “Hand Painted – Nippon – Made in Japan”. Nippon is the Japanese name for Japan and became familiar on Japanese porcelain made for the Western export market around the turn of the 20th century. From 1891, Japanese wares exported to the United States were commonly marked “Nippon”. In 1921 American import requirements changed and “Japan” or “Made in Japan” became the accepted country-of-origin wording. Interestingly, this piece carries both “Nippon” and “Made in Japan”. Comparable combined marks are generally associated with the transitional period around the 1920s, making this a lovely example of Japanese export ware from roughly a century ago. Pieces such as this were created for the flourishing Western market for highly decorative Japanese porcelain. The elaborate gilding, strong colours and romanticised Japanese figures are characteristic of the richly ornamented export wares that became fashionable in European and American homes during the early decades of the 20th century. Today it makes a beautiful display piece in its own right – particularly lovely on an antique cabinet, dressing table or amongst a collection of Japanese and Oriental ceramics. DETAILS Origin: Japan Date: Circa 1920s Material: Porcelain Decoration: Hand painted / enamelled with extensive gilt detail Form: Twin-handled lidded sugar bowl Approximate measurements: 15 cm high 11 cm wide CONDITION A lovely antique example with no chips or cracks. There is a small amount of wear to the gilding, entirely consistent with the age and decorative nature of the piece. Please study the photographs as they form an important part of the description. The original blue “Hand Painted – Nippon – Made in Japan” backstamp remains clearly visible to the base. A particularly colourful survivor from the golden age of Japanese export porcelain – over a century later, it still has enormous decorative presence.