We were very pleased to find this fine early piece of Sumida Gawa pottery from Japan. Take a minute to look at the high three dimensional relief scene that portrays an elderly Japanese man carrying a bundle of twigs from the dense forest with a stream in the foreground. This vase has thick & richly applied enamels over dripping and flowing glazes. Primarly colours are rich brown, yellow mustard / orange, green and cream beige. It is both sophisticated and archaic at the same time and would look great in any interior especially Arts & Crafts movement or Asian inspired. Signed with impressed marks near the bottom unglazed cream/beige rim. Condition is excellent. Age is late Meiji or just after (1900 to 1920). A suberb piece of Sumida ware for collectors. 12" tall x 7 1/2" diameter. 5.3 pounds.
Sumida glazed pottery: The style of applied figures on a surface with flowing glaze was invented about 1890 by the Seto potter Ryosai I, who worked in Tokyo from about 1875 to 1900. This distinct type of wares got its name from the Sumida river running near the Asakusa pottery district near Tokyo. It was near the banks of this river it was first made. The Japanese word for river is gawa, hence the name Sumidagawa. In 1924 Inuoue Ryosai III (1888-1971) moved the manufacturing site to Yokohama.
Sumida is a Japanese pottery that was made from about 1895 to 1941. Pieces are usually everyday objects-vases, jardinieres, bowls, teapots, and decorative tiles. Most pieces are decorated with heavy orange-red, blue, brown, black, green, purple or off-white glazes and is embellished with various raised three-dimensional figures and objects. In 1924 the factory was moved to Yokohama, at which time more colours - e.g. orange - was added to the wares.
