A fine pair of wireless Cloisonne vases depicting Mount Fuji and the rising Sun

GBP 4,950.00

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Object Description

A serene pair of Japanese Meiji-period Ando (signed) vases on their original hard wood stands. The decoration, using a combination of wireless and wired-enamel cloisonne styles depicts calm scenes, one with traditional houses with Mount Fuji in the background and the other showing the dawn of a new day as the sun rises over a landscape of trees and houses.

The vases carry the signature of Ando and are in excellent condition. They stand 27 cms on their original hard wood stands and 25 cms off them and they are 12cms at their widest.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for additional photographs.

Object History

Mount Fuji

Fuji is a stratovolcanic mountain, it is 3775 meters tall and the 35th tallest mountain in the world. It is praised for it’s attractive symmetry which has made it the subject of many poems and works of art. It is an important symbol of Japan and has huge significance in the Shinto religion, there are many shrines at the base and on the acsent of Fuji, they honor Princess Konohanasakuya the Kami (Deity) who’s symbol is cherry blossom.

The Sun

The sun is a hugely important symbol in Japan, due to it’s position in the far east Japan is sometimes known as the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. In Japanese Japan itself is known as Nippon which means the suns origin, it appears on both their flags; the national flag as a red circle on a white background and the rising sun war flag as a red circle with rays emanating from it. In the Shinto religion it is believed that Amaterasu the sun goddess founded Japan 2700 years ago and all Emperors are descended from her.

Cloisonne

Cloisonne is an enameling technique used to decorate metal objects, typically copper or silver, fine lines of metal are used to define the outlines of a design (called cloisons in French which is where the name cloisonne comes from) enamel paste in different colours is applied to the areas, which are then fired in a kiln and polished to create a glass-like finish.
Cloisonne is very fragile and must be treated with the utmost care, as one tiny knock can cause an area to shatter, it is very hard if not impossible to restore cloisonne.

Ando Cloisonne

The Ando cloisonne company is one of the only traditional cloisonne companies left in Japan, they were founded in the Edo period and originally sold pipes, in the late 1800’s they became known for their cloisonne and visited many world expositions and in 1918 were awarded the imperial warrant to the Japanese court.

Object Condition

Excellent

Object Details

Dealer Opening Times

By appointment only.

Dealer Contact

Dealer Location

7 Pierrepont Row
(Off Camden Passage)
London
N1 8EE

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