Antique Japanese Meiji Period Cobalt Blue Satsuma Vase Signed Hotoda 保土田 薩摩焼

Antique cobalt blue Satsuma vase   Meiji period   signed Hotoda ( 保土田 ).

The vase is a six sided panel vase standing 8" tall with an image of 8 Rakan & 3 little girls flanking Kannon. 
 
Rakan are legendary disciples of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Following his example, they attained enlightenment through their own efforts and they remain in the world to preserve the teachings of Buddha until the coming of the future Buddha, Maitreya.   Kannon is the Japanese name for the Buddhist bodhisattva Kwan Yin, aka Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara






The other side of the vase is a scene of 5 geisha and 3 hangyoku maiko (little girls bonded to the geisha house, in training to become geisha).

The vase is marked with the signature seal of Hotoda 保土田

  Hotoada was a well-known painter of Satsuma wares during the Meiji Period (1868-1912). 
The Hotoda mark is usually associated with some of the best quality wares to bear a Satsuma mark during the Meiji period. 


For Sale:  $3500 usd/ obo + shipping & insurance.

More items for sale

Meiji Period Thousand Faces Satsuma Nikkozan Plate 日光山 薩摩焼

I'm super thrilled with my latest auction purchases this past week, among them this Meiji period Thousand Faces Satsuma plate marked Nikkozan , 日光山 and the bonus is that 100% of the proceeds of the auction went to a non profit charity to support an animal shelter..

It's my belief that Nikkozan marked Satsuma is likely among the rarest of Satsuma wares because a quick Google search reveals only a few examples, all of which were auctioned off several years ago by Bonham's and Christie's auction houses.  There are no other Nikkozan marked Satsumayaki listed in Google other than these few, and now my own post.

Doing a similar search in Japanese also netted less than a couple of links for Nikkozan Satsuma wares.

I'm rather perplexed why so many sites, particularly online auction sites, refer to this design of Rakan with Kannon and dragon, etc as "Thousand Faces".  I have yet to find any information whatsoever on the story behind this design and insofar as Japanese websites go, the term 1000 Faces in relation to Satsuma is non existent.   It is my belief that the name "Thousand Faces" when applicable to this design of Satsuma is a false one.   

Late Meiji Thousand Faces Satsuma Vase Signed Hotoda 保土田

   Meiji period Thousand Faces Satsuma vase,


















































The vase is signed Hotoda , aka Hodota &/or Hododa, etc thanks to the asshats at Gotheborg for perpetuating incorrect information , 保土田.  The correct spelling is HOTODA.  My estimate is that it's dated somewhere around the end of the Meiji period circa 1900 to perhaps early Taisho period 1916.

Hotoda was one of the last great master's of Satsuma during the Meiji period

.    The Thousand Faces design features Kannon, the Japanese Buddhist Bodhisattva of Compassion, aka Kwan Yin / Guanyin, a single male figure which I haven't identified as of this writing, and multiple rakan which are often erroneously referred to as arhat or lohan, and are commonly also referred to collectively as "immortals,  each of them of the same face, and a white dragon intertwines through them.  Rakan, Arhat & Lohan all mean the same thing, but only RAKAN is used in Japanese.  The other terms are Indian and Chinese.

  There are several variations of the Thousand Faces Satsuma design, as well as the Thousand Faces Kutani.  

the wooden stand ise Chinese late Qing Guanxu period to early Republic period.

For Sale:  $800 usd /obo + shipping & insurance