Sugar bowl with Gionmamori crest design
This sugar bowl is from a tea set which was ordered to make along with the completion of Count Tachibana family’s Western-style guest house in 1910. Today, 31 pieces of the tea set remain, consisting of 4 kinds of items: cups and saucers, dessert plates, a teapot and this sugar bowl. Each piece is embellished with the blue crest of the Tachibana family and a gold Yoraku pattern. The bright blue color of the crest is created with gosu (cobalt oxide). The gold Yoraku pattern represents the classic Ko-imari style with motifs of a fan-shaped leaf and kensaki (a sword point) which are alternatively applied inside the petal-shaped enclosures. The color combination of blue and gold on the white porcelain gives a noble and refreshing impression.A motif of Mt. Fuji with a flowing river was branded on the base of each piece and the back lid of the teapot. This motif was a trade mark of Fukagawa Seiji, a craft company of Arita ware appointed to the official purveyor of the Imperial Household.
fukagawa seiji (1894 – 1934)
Discover Fukagawa Seiji, a pioneering Japanese ceramic artist from Arita, Japan (1894-1934). Known for innovative designs & gold medal at the 1900 Paris World's Fair, his work captivated Europe & America.
Tachibana Museum (Fukuoka, Japan)
Discover Edo period treasures at Tachibana Museum in Fukuoka! Explore samurai armor, lacquerware, dolls & a national treasure from the Yanagawa clan's legacy within a historic estate.
About this artwork
- Title: Sugar bowl with Gionmamori crest design
- Artist: fukagawa seiji
- Year: 1910
- Format: Landscape
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Where to see it: Tachibana Museum
- Color hue: Amber to Saffron
- Color intensity: Monochromatic

