Jar, one of a pair with F1970.20

Jar; large white porcelain.
Clay: moderately coarse white porcelain.
Glaze: white with slight crackle in some areas.
Decoration: stylized vertical floral sprays around sides; broad band of takokarakusa wtih lotus blossoms on shoulder in red, green, blue and yellow overglaze enamels.

One of a pair with F1970.20.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1660-1680
Medium
Porcelain with enamels over colorless glaze
Style
Arita ware, early enamel type
Dimensions
H x W: 37 x 27.5 cm (14 9/16 x 10 13/16 in)
Geography
Japan, Saga prefecture, Arita
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1970.21
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Jar

Keywords
Arita ware, early enamel type, Edo period (1615 - 1868), flower, Japan, lotus, porcelain
Provenance

To 1851
Henry Pelham Pelham Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme, (1785 - 1851), Clumber, Nottinghamshire, England to 1851 [1]

From 1851 to at least 1966
By descent through the Pelham-Clinton family to John Stuart Bordewich, Esq. (d. 1986) to at least 1966 [2]

1966
Sotheby's London sale, July 12, 1966, bought in to John Stuart Bordewich, Esq. in 1966 [3]

1970
Ellsworth & Goldie, Ltd., New York, in 1970 [4]

From 1970
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Ellsworth & Goldie, Ltd., New York, on January 30, 1970 [5]

Notes:

[1] According to a November 4, 1970 letter from Robert H. Ellsworth (of Ellsworth & Goldie) to T. Lawton, the pair of jars (F1970.20 and F1970.21) were owned at the time by a descendent of the 4th Duke of Newcastle, who once had them displayed at his country home.

[2] The jars descended to Georgiania Elizabeth May Pelham-Clinton, (1913 - ?), the great-granddaughter of the 4th Duke of Newcastle who married John Stuart Bordewich in 1951. All biographical information from the Peerage.com.

[3] Bordewich attempted to sell the jars at Sotheby's. They did not reach the reserve and were bought in. See auction catalogue in file.

[4] According to the letter cited in [1], Ellsworth was contacted by a mutual friend of Bordewich to sell the jars on consignment. He removed the bronze mounts, likely added by the original owner.

[5] Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Ellsworth & Goldie, Ltd.

Description

Jar; large white porcelain.
Clay: moderately coarse white porcelain.
Glaze: white with slight crackle in some areas.
Decoration: stylized vertical floral sprays around sides; broad band of takokarakusa wtih lotus blossoms on shoulder in red, green, blue and yellow overglaze enamels.

One of a pair with F1970.20.

Published References
  • Zaigai Nihon no Shiho [Japanese Art: Selections from Western Collections]. 10 vols., Tokyo, 1979 - 1980. vol. 9: pl. 52.
  • Yabe Yoshiaki. Imari. Tokyo. pl. 10.
  • Oriental Ceramics: The World's Great Collections. 12 vols., Tokyo. vol. 10, pl. 66.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Thomas Lawton, Harold P. Stern. The Freer Gallery of Art. 2 vols., Washington and Tokyo, 1971-1972. cat. 125, vol. 2: p. 183.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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