Vintage Japanese Imari Porcelain Globular Vase with Shishi Cartouches, Early Showa (1927-1945) | SKU: 26M-870

Vintage Japanese Imari Porcelain Abura Tsubo/Globular Vase with Shishi Cartouches, Early Showa (1927-1945) | SKU: 26M-870

A compact globular porcelain vase decorated in the classic Imari palette, bearing a apocryphal Ming-style reign mark on its base.

A tokkuri-style vase is a small, round-bodied Japanese porcelain vessel with a narrow neck, historically used to hold sake or as a decorative display piece in the tokonoma alcove. This charming example is painted in the Imari style -- a richly layered overglaze enamel tradition originating in the Arita kilns of Kyushu -- featuring bold red cartouches outlined in cobalt blue, each enclosing a hand-painted shishi (lion-dog) figure rendered in green, teal, and gold. Scattered across the white ground are red blossoms, curling tendrils, and loose leaf motifs that fill the surface with lively energy. The foot ring is encircled by a blue-and-white petal border, and the base carries a reign mark reading "Da Ming Chenghua Nian Zhi" -- a decorative apocryphal mark invoking the revered Chinese Ming dynasty, commonly applied to Japanese ceramics of the early Showa period as a mark of prestige rather than provenance. This is a fine example of vintage Japanese porcelain craft at its most expressive.

Despite its small scale, this vintage Imari vase commands attention as a standalone living room accent or shelf display piece. Its squat, jewel-like form makes it ideal as a bud vase for a single stem on a side table or home office desk, adding an authentic wabi-sabi aesthetic to minimalist or Japandi-style interiors. It also works beautifully as part of a curated shelfscape alongside other Japanese vintage ceramics, or as a unique gift for collectors and Japanophiles who appreciate handcrafted Japanese porcelain with character and history.

• Origin: Japan, likely Arita region, Kyushu
• Era: 1927-1945 (Early Showa)
• Material: Porcelain with overglaze Imari-style enamels (red, green, teal, gold) and cobalt blue underglaze
• Use: Oil vase; Decorative vase or sake vessel; display piece for tokonoma or shelf
• Modern Use: Bud vase for a single stem; living room or home office accent; gift for collectors of Japanese vintage ceramics
• Features: Globular body with narrow neck; hand-painted shishi cartouches in red and cobalt blue; scattered floral and foliate motifs; petal-border foot ring; apocryphal Ming reign mark on base
• Dimensions: 4 1/2"W x 4 1/2"D x 4"H
• Condition: Excellent

A luminous example of vintage Japanese Imari porcelain -- vivid, collectible, and effortlessly at home in any modern interior.

We use professional studio lighting to highlight the natural character of the wood. As a result, the tone may appear slightly warmer than under natural daylight.

All vintage items are sold as-is. Each piece may exhibit signs of age, including scratches, wear, or minor imperfections. These are not considered defects but natural evidence of the item’s authenticity and age.