Description
Pair of Cup and Saucers by Kinkozan
From our Japanese Satsuma collection, we are pleased to present this pair of Japanese Satsuma cups and saucers by Kinkozan.
The earthenware set is decorated with a rich cobalt-blue glaze, extensively gilded with parallel geometric borders and floral motifs. Roundels feature butterflies and dragons clutching pearls, motifs traditionally associated with good fortune and power. The cups carry matching decoration to the saucers, finished with gilt pin-striping to the handles and rims.
Each piece is signed Kinkozan 錦光山 to the base with the blind mark and painted mark and dates to the late 19th century, during the Japanese Meiji period (1868–1912).
KINKOZAN 金光山
the Kinkozan family have been associated with pottery dating back to 1645. They went on to become the largest producer of Satsuma ware by one individual company, from the end of the 19th century until 1927 after which the factory closed. By the 1850s Kobayashi Sobei (1824-84), Kinkozan Sobei (artist name Kinkozan IV), started to export his products together with the Kyoto manufacturer Taizan VIII. The main target market was America with their main production period approximately between 1875-1927 under the leadership of Kinkozan V(1868-1927).
For further information please see our makers and retailers page on Kinkozan.
MEIJI PERIOD (1868-1912)
The Meiji era marked Japan’s transformation into a modern nation and a golden age of decorative arts. With the end of samurai rule and Japan’s opening to the West, artisans produced works of exceptional quality for both domestic and international audiences. Supported by the government through world fairs and Imperial commissions, Japanese lacquerware, cloisonné, satsuma ceramics, bronzes, and ivory carvings reached collectors worldwide. Many leading artists of the time, including Makuzu Kozan and Namikawa Yasuyuki, were honoured as Imperial Household Artists, ensuring the Meiji period remains one of the most celebrated eras of Japanese art.
For further information please see our article Japanese Meiji Period: Art, Collecting, and Cultural Transformation.
SATSUMA WARE
Satsuma ware originated in southern Kyūshū around 1600 and developed into one of Japan’s most recognisable ceramics. Early Ko-Satsuma pieces were rustic, dark-clay wares made for everyday use, while the later Kyō-Satsuma style became famous worldwide during the Meiji period.
Characterised by ivory crackled glaze, delicate overglaze enamels, and lavish gilding, export Satsuma appealed strongly to Western collectors. Designs often feature landscapes, flowers, figures, and scenes from Japanese life and mythology. Renowned artists such as Yabu Meizan, Ryozan, and the Kinkōzan workshop produced some of the finest examples, which remain highly sought after today. Genuine Satsuma can often be identified by the Shimazu crest, artist signatures, or the mark “Dai Nippon” used during the Meiji era.
For further information on the history of Satsuma Wear please see our article Japanese Satsuma Ware.
MEASUREMENTS
Saucer 10.8cm Diameter x 1.5cm High (4.25 x 0.6 Inches)
Cup 4.6cm High x 6.7cm Long x 5cm Wide (1.8 x 2.64 x 1.97 Inches)
CONDITION
Very Good, some small areas of rubbing to the gilding
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