imari

Gokokuji Temple…a Bit of a Shrine Sale Puzzle

To help out all my Sunday church-going readers I have been wanting to report favorably on the second Saturday of the month shrine sale at Gokoku-ji. I don’t have it on my “official” shrine sale page because I don’t like to recommend anything that might be disappointing and while it has been good in the past, I tend to find it unreliable now, both in terms of schedule and quality/quantity of dealers and merchandise. Today wasn’t much different from that assessment – only about a dozen vendors. Now, we all know that Nogi Shrine only ever has about that many dealers at best, but they are all top quality. The goods today were more junk shop and imports from China than real antiques, so if you live in the nearby Mejiro neighborhood or on the Yurakucho line, it might be worth stopping by. I am not sure I would have anyone travel there, although that being said, it only took me 15 minutes driving from my house on the Shuto.

Just because it wasn’t the best market doesn’t mean there weren’t things to be found. My subconscious has been making itself heard lately by pointing me towards medium-sized unusually shaped Imari plates. I think it wants them for first course or lunch settings. I have been resisting, on the grounds that I don’t need them, but today brought two examples.

The first was eye-catching, but…

… it was the second set that was breathtaking.

If you do go and the market turns out to be lousy or unexpectedly cancelled, the Temple complex, situated up on a hill and surrounded by substantial grounds, is beautiful and well-worth visiting. Built in 1681 by the 5th Tokugawa Shogun at the request of his mother, it has survived earthquakes, fires, and WWII, and the main temple is designated an important cultural property of Japan. Today they had a special flower arranging exhibit on the grounds and in the main sanctuary. Take note of the unusually colored sudare.

Unfortunately for me, my practical conscious mind ruled out and I didn’t buy that second set of plates. I am now mooning over the photo at home, so if anyone sees them tomorrow or next week at a different market, please feel free to let me know!

May 14, 2011 By tokyojinja in Porcelain and Pottery, Shrine Sales and Flea Markets Tags: flea market, imari, japanese antiques, porcelain, shrine sale, sudare

Shop Talk…A Great Eye at Les Yeux Noirs

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post on antiquing in Nishi-Ogikubo, I wanted to devote a little more airtime to a wonderful shop, selling mainly porcelain, called Les Yeux Noirs. Owner Haruko Hasegawa has assembled one of the prettiest and most cohesive collections of antique Japanese porcelain that I have seen. She seems to buy and stock nothing ordinary – everything felt special and unusual, whether it was the motif, the shape or the pattern.

One of the things I really liked about the shop was the diversity of styles and periods and therefore prices. While she had her very valuable Edo period karakusa (Chinese winding grass or arabesque) pattern pieces locked in a cabinet, she also had the largest most diverse collection of inban (transfer printed porcelain) I have come across. As mentioned earlier, mass-produced transfer printing did not become popular in Japan until the Meiji period, even though it had been produced extensively in the West for more than 100 years prior. In transfer printing, a pre-made image is inked with dye and then pressed against a blank surface. The dye is “transferred” (thus the name) and the item is then fired in the kiln. There is none of the hand-painting that you find on all the other types of antique porcelain. But the transfer prints have their own distinct charm and a following. At shrine sales you can often see piles of these small round plates, in a few basic patterns. Hasegawa-san had an extraordinary display with great depth and variety. They are great fun to collect – often being more affordable that other porcelain – and wonderful to mix and match.

Take a close look at this scenic, almost map-like plate and the charming momiji (maple leaf) patterned covered bowls. Both are fairly rare shapes for transfer printed pieces.

We had great fun arranging pieces into groups, perhaps for wall display. Looking closely you’ll see everything from wisteria to peach to our good friends sho-chiku-bai (pine, bamboo, plum). Quite a few of these patterns were new to me.

On the opposite side of the shop prices went up, with gorgeous pieces of Imari, like these giant display plates. Don’t let the small photos fool you – they are enormous – and would be a real focus in any room. There were also lots of hard to find small hibachi – great for little planters.

There is also a branch of Les Yeux Noirs in the lovely mountain town of Karuizawa. That shop is open from April 20 – May 25 and again from July 20 – November 25. What is currently unclear to me is whether or not that means the Nishi-Ogikubo shop is closed during that period. I’ll update that here as soon as I have an answer.

The most difficult part about traveling to Les Yeux Noirs is that they are open tokidoki (sometimes) from roughly 12 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. It might be best to call ahead. But well worth the effort!

Les Yeux Noirs, 4-1-22 Nishi Ogikubo: telephone 03-3395-5509
Les Yeux Noirs, Karuizawa: telephone 0267-42-1534

For more on antiques in Nishi-Ogikubo see Shop Talk…Discovering Antique Treasures in Nishi-Ogikubo.

Jan 25, 2011 By tokyojinja in Porcelain and Pottery, Shop Talk Tags: imari, inban, japanese antiques, Nishi-Ogikubo, porcelain, transfer printing

Shop Talk…Discovering Antique Treasures in Nishi-Ogikubo

While not quite on par with Dixie Highway, relaxed Nishi-Ogikubo in Tokyo’s western suburbs has a grouping of 60+ antique and vintage shops gathered near the train station. Situated along the Chuo line, Nishi-Ogikubo (nicknamed Nishiogi) was a counterculture hotbed in the 1960s, then receded from notice, only to become popular in recent years as the “slow life” movement has gained steam in Japan. It seems like just the kind of place one would find a collection of quirky and individualistic antique shops.

Conveniently, a free map of the stores is available right in front of the koban (police box) on the left side of the station right outside the North Exit. The map seems fairly current but things can change overnight, so think of it only as a basic guide. Most stores do not open before 12p.m., they all seem to have variable hit-or-miss opening days, and there is not much spoken English to be had, but it is a lovely way to while away an afternoon. Hopefully this post will help steer you in the direction of the best shops!

Organized into four zones, NE, NW, SE and SW on the map, I’ll say right off the bat that the South side of the station has much less to offer than the North side, and can be skipped entirely when pressed for time. The NW zone is by far the best for traditional antiques, so I will start the tour headed in that direction, counter-clockwise around the rough rectangle the walking tour makes. The shops are numbered numerically on the listing pages, but do not always appear in numeric order on the map.

Actually the first few shops don’t even seem to be listed on the map. After peeking in grape, a small but charming vintage kimono shop with two other locations in the area, our first stop is not Japanese at all. Filled to the brim with lanterns, poufs, silvered mirrors and embroidered slippers, Morocco Marché is one-stop shopping for adding a bit of middle-eastern flair to your decor.

Weaving up and down the small side streets along the main road, we pass a few small shops, including Baby Doll (#60), which is not open, but full of antique and vintage toys and dolls. Moving back towards the main road we come to Les Yeux Noirs (#42), the unquestionable star of the tour, deserving its own individual post (coming tomorrow). Owner Haruko Hasegawa has one of the best eyes I have seen for choosing unusual and rare pieces of porcelain. We were very excited and spent a long time (and quite a bit of money) in her shop. If you are interested in porcelain, this is one of the main attractions and it is well worth the train ride for this store alone.

As we continue along the main road we pass mood (#45), full of groovy 60’s looking used goods. We try to stop into Quilt & Old Textiles (#44) way hidden in a back lane, but they are closed – perhaps to go to the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival. At the turn in the main road, we come to Kido Airku (#59), a great mixed shop full of smaller tansu, porcelain, textiles and odd and ends. Unusual things there include vintage spool threads, great for using as plant stands or display props. A collection of old iron tea kettles looks great on these.

Some modern shibori dyed textiles.

One of the most interesting finds for me personally were wood blocks, used to print patterns on textiles. I have been scouring eBay for Indian wood blocks for a DIY project I am planning this summer, but hadn’t considered using Japanese ones. Frankly, I hadn’t realized that in addition to all the stencils, tie-dying and resist techniques used here, that wood blocks are too. Definitely something to look into more.

Numbers 48,49 and 54 were all the same named shop, Antiques Jikoh, with mainly used modern furniture. The branch at the #49 location was full of heavy oak Victorian and Arts & Crafts era furniture.

My friend H spotted a gorgeous blue and white porcelain “umbrella stand” that she loved there. I was so sorry to have to let her know it was actually a late 19th century urinal. Needless to say, she could not look past its original use.

The next two shops were eureka! moments for me. I have been searching for the perfect vintage milk glass ceiling fixture for the bathroom in the beach house, passing up many individual pieces at shrine sales. Imagine my delight at stumbling across the Teardrop Club (#53). I’ll be dragging my patient husband back there soon. If you too are interested, please note they are open 12-6 and not on Wednesday. More photos here and here.

Rakuda (#51) which means camel, also had numerous vintage light fixtures in addition to ranma (transom) panels, old doors, stained glass and cut glass…

Turning the corner right after Rakuda completes the NW zone. The tour continues east, crossing a small river. Other than the charming Le Midi (#37) full of imports from the South of France, not much else was open. Any visit to Nishi-Ogikubo comes with that risk.

Continuing to the next major intersection the tour turns right to head south back to the station. Most of the shops along this NE section seem to specialize in vintage clothing and used goods. Perhaps because we were getting hungry, they didn’t hold our attention. In the grand tradition of antiquing outside of Tokyo, we ate Indian food for lunch at Ganesha Ghar, right near #31 and the bridge over the river on the map. As would be expected, it was packed! And following shortly thereafter was Amy’s Bakeshop, which billed itself as “NY Style Sweets & Things”. Of course we had to stop!

If you arrive hungry, it might be easiest to head the opposite direction (clockwise from the station) and eat first as shops don’t open until lunch time or afterwards.

We skimmed the shops listed on the map on the South side, but many were closed, perhaps permanently. None stood out this visit but perhaps they merit a second chance.

Nishi-Ogikubo is very easy to get to and quite close to central Tokyo. It is only 16 minutes from Shinjuku and 18 minutes from Yoyogi on the Sobu Chuo line. Taking the Toei Oedo line from Azabu Juban and changing at Yoyogi took a total of 32 minutes. I’d love to hear from anyone who goes, especially if you discover a gem I haven’t mentioned. Happy hunting!

Jan 23, 2011 By tokyojinja in Shop Talk Tags: antiques, baskets, folk art, furniture, imari, japanese antiques, kimono, lacquer, Nishi-Ogikubo, obi, porcelain, tansu, textiles, vintage

Sho-Chiku-Bai…The Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Bamboo and Plum

Sho-Chiku-Bai. If that name doesn’t sound Japanese to you, then you have a good ear, as it is actually the Chinese reading of the Kanji characters 松竹梅. In Japanese, they are read matsu (pine), take (bamboo) and ume (plum) and they form a threesome as one of the most popular decorative motifs the “Three Friends of Winter,” representing promise and good fortune. Together, they stand for the scholarly ideals of pure spirit (plum), longevity (pine) and flexibility (bamboo).

One of the most common places to find them is on Japanese porcelain, often in a very stylized form, so that you might not even notice they are there. This old Imari pattern is extremely common and at first glance there is no real sign of any botanical motifs.

When you look closely at the design in the round, the two trunks of the pine and the plum and the bamboo pole become visible. This central motif has been repeated on versions of this pattern for centuries and continues to be very collectible.

I’d say about a third of the traditional polychrome Imari patterns with a central roundel have our three friends in the center. Close-ups of the photos highlight the details and the difference between the blue underglaze and the enamel and gold overglaze.

So similar to the one above, yet oh so different!

Notice the different manner of painting the pine on this dish – the spiky needle style instead of the puffy bush style.

The Three Friends of Winter are also a common motif on Japanese transfer printed blue and white porcelain. Transfer printing was invented in England in 1756 and is commonly associated with the Staffordshire potteries and the classic “Blue Willow” pattern. This process was developed as an inexpensive way to recreate the characteristics of the hand painted underglaze blue ceramics of China and Japan. Ironically, transfer printing does not become popular in Japan until the late 19th century, but modern-day markets abound with transfer printed pieces that show it eventually did. Often very inexpensive, they are a great purchase as they have more character than modern blue and white. Patterns are often standardized (like this stylized Sho-Chiku-Bai dish) so collecting a particular one is easy – or they are fun to mix and match.

This small covered dish is also transfer printed, with the plum and bamboo encased in fans (a common design device) and the pine in snow, represented by the ruffled circle surrounding it.

This small dish has a naturalistic rendering.

The Three Friend of Winter are not limited to porcelain. They can be found on lacquer…

…and here is a set of three kashigata (sweets molds) in the motif.

This paste-resist dyed indigo cloth takes a different approach, blending the naturalistic pine and plum with the stylized kamon for bamboo. The process is called tsutsugaki (literally, tube drawing) as rice paste is squeezed from a tube to draw the design, much like a giant crayon. The cloth is subsequently dyed and then the rice paste is washed off. This antique futon cover dates to the late 19th century.

Same for this one.

A more formal version can be found on this brocade fukusa. Popularized in the Edo period, a fukusa was used to “wrap” a formal or important gift by being draped over the box or tray on which it was presented. The Three Friends are a very common motif on fukusa as they represent such good wishes to the recipient as well as the New Year.

Speaking of important gifts, how about this set of watches from Vacheron Constantin? They have paired up with Zohiko, a 300+ year old lacquer maker in Kyoto to create these limited edition maki-e (literally, sprinkled picture) timepieces, embellished with Sho-Chiku-Bai. I am not sure what you do with three and at $335,000 for the set, I don’t think I’ll be getting them anytime soon. But interesting, desu ne (isn’t it)?

All of these example came from the Antique Jamboree held at Tokyo Big Sight the weekend of January 8-9th. And for more on the symbolism of these three friends, see Kadomatsu…A Traditional Welcome for the New Year.

Image credits: All images by Jacqueline Wein except Blue Willow platter: marks4antiques.com, and Vacheron Constantin watches: via House of Pens

Jan 18, 2011 By tokyojinja in Antique Shows, Design Motif, Lacquer, Porcelain and Pottery, Textiles Tags: antiques, bamboo, fukusa, imari, japanese antiques, matsu take ume, pine plum bamboo, porcelain, sho-chiku-bai, textiles, Three Friends of Winter, transfer printing, tsutsugaki, Vacheron Constantin

Has Imari’s Reputation Been Resuscitated?

I have had a half written post called “Can Imari’s Reputation Be Resuscitated” sitting around in my drafts folder for weeks and now it is time to bring it out, rewrite it, and change its title to the one above. I am not talking about the simpler blue and white underglaze only Imari (which has never gone “out” of style), but instead Ko-Imari (old Imari), the polychrome and gold in-your-face with color Imari. Sometimes accused of being “old-fashioned” and “traditional,” I think it is finally having a well deserved revival in modern settings.

Let’s be clear – People are still collecting Imari, beautiful pieces are in demand and it is often featured in classic interiors. Some designers have been using it all along. You can often catch a glimpse of a piece in a Michael Smith interior. I am referring to using Imari in a new way by pairing it with unexpected partners.

This is the more “expected” model of porcelain display – a bit hard to pull off if you don’t have a grand country manor with generations of accumulation and original paneling.

First to catch my eye was the October 2010 House Beautiful apartment of Nancy Tilghman designed by Daniel Sachs. Amidst the ethnic mixed but modern living room of this Park Avenue apartment sits an Imari bowl on a side table, filled with citrus fruit. Underneath the same table stands a large Satsuma urn (which is basically the same thing for my intents and purposes here in this post).

Then there was the Eddie Ross Thanksgiving tablescape in the October/November issue of Lonny Magazine which featured Imari plates and serving pieces that I wrote about in my last post. The color and design of the decor took its cues from the vibrant colors in the Imari, but what makes it unusual is the unexpected combinations Ross uses. While a crystal chandelier is an expected pairing, rustic wooden beams are not.

The beginning of November brought this Miles Redd designed bedroom featured in New York Magazine. I believe I spy a large Imari charger from John Rosselli above the closet door in the riotously colored bedroom designed for David Keiser.

This third week of November brought the Wendy Haworth Tastemaker Sale on One Kings Lane. She had a number of Imari dishes and bowls listed. All sold out immediately!

I’d love to hear from you with your ideas on how you have or would use your Imari. And don’t limit it to that….What other design ideas or decorative items have you “resuscitated”?

Image Credits: 1. The World of Interiors, February 2009, 2. House Beautiful, October 2010, photo credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo, 3. Lonny Magazine October/November 2010, 4. New York Magazine, November 7, 2010, photo credit: Thomas Loof/Art Department, 5. One Kings Lane

Nov 22, 2010 By tokyojinja in Interior Design, Porcelain and Pottery Tags: Daniel Sachs, Eddie Ross, imari, miles redd, porcelain

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