A magnificent underglaze blue and white garniture with an octagonal section, comprising two beaker and three covered jars. The three large ovoid jars, have a high neck rising from sloping shoulders and stand on a sturdy round stepped foot. The matching octagonal domed covers, have a flat rim and dark blue drop-shaped pointed finials. The two beakers have everted round mouths and stand on a distinctive bulging foot which turns sharply inwards – which is referred to as a takefushi foot. Both beaker vases, jars and covers are decorated in a good dark cobalt blue. The main bodies have a continuous scene, with large elegant long-tailed ho-ho birds amongst rocks, flowering branches and leafy willow trees. The neck of the jars have a band of karakusa scrolls and the shoulders have dense scrolling foliage with chrysanthemum heads, under a band of narrow lappets. Around the foot-rim is a border of pointed half-leaves. The unglazed porcelain clay on the inner rim of the covers, have some irregular orange colouration. Often seen on Japanese porcelain, this comes from iron particles in the clay which have seeped into to the unglazed areas during firing. Numbered labels for Bruin-Baal collection are on numerous pieces of the garniture.
These type of vases were produced, in the what is referred to as the middle period of the Japanese export porcelain. Elements of Chinese Kraak and Transitional wares have been absorbed into the Japanese motifs, forming its own unique recognisable style. The octagonal shape, is typically Japanese and the decoration with landscapes, were predominantly produced in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Porcelain was first made in Japan in the early years of the 17th-century, at kilns in and around the town of Arita on the the island of Kyushu. The very earliest pieces produced, were primarily designed for the domestic market as tea wares. Production increased significantly from 1650 onwards, with a large part of the industry being directed towards the making of ceramics for export to Europe. The term "Arita" was traditionally used when referring to export wares in blue and white porcelain, mostly emulating Chinese styles. Large jars like these, were known in Japan as Chinkō Tsubo (aloe jar), presumably because the aromatic wood was transported in these jars by the Dutch East India traders.
Garnitures are a European invention, most commonly comprising matching sets of three covered jars and two beaker vases, with a matching decoration. They were initially produced as single pieces presented in massed arrangements and later grouped as matching sets. Garnitures were greatly favoured in Europe and were extremely expensive to acquire. They could only be afforded by the wealthiest noble families, who would display them as a reflection of their power and affluence in their palaces and houses.
Mr. Popke de Bruin (1893 – 1975) & Mrs. Hendrika Petronella van Baal (1890 - 1985) – had a large collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain, accumulated during their lifetime. The collection passed on by to their daughter Cornelia de Bruin (1916-2008), who continued to collect. It then passed by descent to the previous owner.
The Lemmers- Danforth collection in Wetzlar, has an almost identical garniture (K57 a-e) . Comparable vases and beakers of the same shape and decoration, are in the former collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden (PO1452, PO 4750 & 51 PO 4746 & 49). Kasteel Twickel, Delden, The Netherlands, has three comparable covered jars, but no beakers (nr JK4). The V&A, London have a single comparable jar (acc.nr FE.6-1977), without a lid.
