TWO FINE JAPANESE ARITA AMSTERDAM DECORATED OR 'CLOBBERED' BOTTLES

 

Edo period late 17th/early 18th century

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The smaller one is decorated with a lambrequin and under it, one perched, one flying pheasant and a fly among prunus, peony and bamboo, the larger one with on the belly also one flying, one perched pheasant and a fly and in addition a butterfly amongst tree peony and chrysanthemums under a frieze on the shoulder of cartouches with floral decoration.

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H. 21 cm, content: 1.4 liter

H. 27.5 cm, content: 2.2 liter

 

Note:

These bottles arrived undecorated in the Netherlands where they were decorated in the Chinoiserie and Kakiemon style with red, green, blue, black, yellow and aubergine enamels and sometimes with gold.
“Dutch” decorated white Arita bottles are often called “Amsterdam’s bont”. However this kind of decoration was not only done in Amsterdam but in Delft, the Dutch provinces, England and Germany as well. The larger bottle, for instance, is likely to have been decorated in England, Lowestoft.