Stoneware vessel for cooling boiled water before pouring it on sencha tea leaves. This type of bowl is called a yuzamashi. Fine light brown stoneware bowl on a foot ring, covered with a translucent glaze with a fine crackle. Underglaze cobalt blue text or poem line right under the rim on one side of the bowl. Either Seto ware, or Karatsu ware.

 

Signature impressed inside foot: 3 characters, illegilble/unidentified.

 

Japan, Meiji era, late 19^th century.

 

Painting added at a later date in overglaze enamels and gold: On the inside a white-bellied rat dancing with a fan next to a second rat with two storage jars inscribed ‘Eastern Mountain’ and ‘Western Sea’, a square measure box and biwa fruits. On the outside in high relief enamel painting a turnip, two eggplants, two kuwai (arrow heads) and biwa fruits. The underglaze blue text was overwritten in gold (now only traces of gold left).

 

H ca. 2.5 x W 5.75 in.

 

Few small glaze abrasions along the upper edge, gold worn off, few enamel chips to biwa fruits. All in all in very good condition.

 

In the early 20th century, old and plain household ceramics were spruced up by adding overglaze decorations in colorful enamels in order to sell them to tourists. The images include often rats (auspicious animals) or cats at various funny activities.