Pair of Imari vases

Japan
inscribed : Handwritten mark Hichozan Shinpo
end of Edo period or beginning of Meiji period, around 1860-1880
Height : 62 cm

This pair of porcelain vases is decorated with dragons in high relief wrapped around each vase Imari type of decoration consists of a frieze of palm leaves on the cobalt blue underglaze base and a decoration on the body representing major characters accompanied reserves containing birds. This decoration is made of multicolored enamels red iron.
These vases bear the handwritten mark Hichozan Shinpo. Hichozan is the trade name used by Tashiro Monzaemon manufacturer and marketer which includes ovens and other manufacturers Arita mainly for export, from the end of the Edo period to the middle of the Meiji era in the 19th century. Tashiro Monzaemon of Honkôbira was under the authority of the Nabeshima fief. Around 1855, the China merchants like Tashiro Monzaemon of Honkôbira got Nabeshima fief of the authorities’ permission to trade directly with retail outlets in Japan, thus developing the domestic market but also the right to deal directly with foreign countries, thus developing international trade.
Various examples of porcelain with this mark are present in several major museums such as the British Museum or the Museum of Tokyo.