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What makes this kōro special
The look and feel up close
The surface is busier than it looks in photos. Up close, the red ground is not flat: the cloud-scroll patterning is built up in raised enamel, giving the background a slight relief that catches light differently from the painted panels.
The transition between registers, red to white to gold lattice, is sharp, each zone cleanly bordered. In the hand the piece feels solid and heavier than its size suggests.
Charming details
Look closely at that shishi on the lid: the little guardian lion has a painted face with two tiny black eyes and gold sunburst motifs across his body. He has sat at the top of this koro for more than half a century, and his expression is unchanged.
Inside the bowl, a thin layer of ash remains from previous use: the trace of incense burned in another household, in another decade. This particular kōro feels very specifically like what it is: an object with a life behind it.
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Aka-e kinran-de style: iron-red polychrome enamel with panel decoration.
Sourced at an antique shop in Kochi, Shikoku, Japan.
The base carries the red 九谷 (Kutani) mark, the production mark used by workshops in the Kutani tradition of Ishikawa Prefecture.
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Showa periode, around 1970 to 1980
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Height: approx. 16 cm (including lid and shishi finial)
Diameter: approx. 10.5 cm
Weight: approx. 465 g
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Excellent vintage condition. No chips, cracks, or repairs.
Enamel and gilt decoration intact throughout; colours vivid.
Ash residue inside the bowl from previous use has not been cleaned: it is part of the object's history.
Wooden storage box included, with wear consistent with age.
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Kutani porcelain is glazed and reasonably robust, but the raised enamel and gilt decoration deserve careful handling.
Wipe the exterior with a soft dry cloth only: moisture and cleaning products can affect the gilding over time.
*Decorative items such as the whisk and plank are for styling
and scale purposes only and not included in the sale
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Questions before you buy?
Since my items are one-of-a-kind pieces, I want to ensure they reach you perfectly.
Questions about the history or condition?
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