Of elegant ovoid form with a gently waisted neck and subtly flared foot, this vase is a refined example of late Meiji Nagoya cloisonné distinguished not only by its decoration, but by the sophistication of its ground technique.
The body is worked in tōmei-jippō (transparent enamel) laid over a meticulously prepared nanako-ji copper surface. Before enamelling, the copper body was entirely covered with thousands of minute, deliberate punch marks (fish-roe ground). When the translucent emerald enamel was fired over this textured surface, the light began to refract through the enamel and across the nanako beneath, creating a remarkable optical depth and a living, water-like field of green. This effect is integral to the piece: the ground is not a background, but an active visual element.
The principal decoration depicts two koi carp swimming in opposing directions among aquatic grasses. The fish are not executed as simple cloisonné fills, but are modelled in painterly enamel, softly shaded from coral red to pale blush with subtle tonal gradation that gives them volume and movement within the translucent field. Their forms appear suspended within the enamel rather than resting upon it.
The surrounding reeds are rendered largely in musen (wireless) enamelling, allowing their silhouettes to rise freely through the green ground without the interruption of cloisons. By contrast, the small white blossoms and certain plant details are defined with fine silver wire cloisonné, providing delicate structure and rhythmic balance to the composition.
This combination of:
- nanako-ji punched ground
- transparent tōmei-jippō enamel
- musen vegetation
- silver-wire floral detail
- painterly enamel modelling of the koi
is a technical language closely associated with the most accomplished Nagoya workshops of the late Meiji period.
The neck is mounted with a silver rim formed with a distinctive double-collar construction incorporating an inner brass throat, a practical and characteristic feature of high-grade Nagoya production which allowed the enamel decoration to extend cleanly to the lip while maintaining stability during repeated firings. The interior and recessed base are enamelled in deep green.
Height: 15 cm
Condition: Excellent. The enamelling remains vibrant and intact throughout with no losses, cracks, or restoration observed.
