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Koransha sake set sold by the Matsuzakaya department store

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Japanese Pottery228 of 1384Large Oribe Bowl - with a spout?Porcelain Bottle with Underglaze Blue  and Iron Red with Gilding
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    Posted 4 years ago

    kwqd
    (1184 items)

    I have been looking for some Koransha pottery with the modern mark on it and found this dual tokkuri (flask) sake set for $10. The ochoko (cups) have the old mark on them, probably due to their size. The seller did not realize who the maker was and advertised them as a Matsuzakaya set.

    I forgot to measure these and have already put them away after christening them with sake. My guess is that the tokkuri were probably about 4.5" high and the ochoko about 1.5" high. They are translucent porcelain but thicker than I expected them to be. The set came in a tomobako. The design was etched into the pieces before they were hand painted. I struggled to get decent images as it has been quite overcast here the last few days and my phone camera wants more natural light. I stole one image from the seller to get one that shows the etching.

    This is my first exposure to something sold by Matsuzakaya Department Stores which were founded in 1611. I think this set must have been a special offering, a collaboration between Koransha and Matsuzakaya, based on the extensive documentation that came with it.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuzakaya

    "Established in 1611 in Nagoya by Sukemichi "Ranmaru" Ito [ja], it is one of the oldest department stores in the world. It was initially a modest wholesale manufactory of silk kimono and Japanese lacquerware. In 1736 the company expanded its business to the retail sale of cotton and linen kimono. A second store was opened in Kyoto in 1745. The old capital was at that time the only region producing high-quality kimono.[citation needed].....

    With the industrialisation during the Meiji era, Matsuzakaya store was changed in 1910 to a western-style department store. In 1924, its Ginza branch became the first department store in Japan where customers could keep their shoes on everywhere inside the store (before that, people had to leave their shoes at the cloakroom).[2] In 1931 a centre for textile art was opened in the Kyoto branch. Between 1931-1939, a remarkable collection of kimono came together with the work of dye craftsmen, antique dealers, and private collectors."

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    Comments

    1. Newfld Newfld, 4 years ago
      Beautiful cherry blossom pattern, lovely set
    2. yourneverright yourneverright, 4 years ago
      Hij? ni subarash? ....
    3. jscott0363 jscott0363, 4 years ago
      Beautiful! What a fantastic find.
    4. kwqd kwqd, 4 years ago
      Thanks, Jenni! I was happy to find it!

      Thanks for your comment yourneverright! I think it is very nice too!

      Thanks for your comment jscot0363! I got lucky on this one.

      Thanks for loving my newest sake set Watchsearcher, aura, jscott0363, Thomas, Hoot60, PhilDMorris, Kevin, dav2no1 and Jenni!
    5. kwqd kwqd, 4 years ago
      Thanks for your comments Eileen! Yeah, I am constantly surprised at the age and history of Japanese commercial institutions. I really like the use of wooden boxes by the Japanese.

      Thanks for loving my sake set Kevin, fortapache and Eileen!
    6. racer4four racer4four, 4 years ago
      It’s beautiful pottery Kevin, such a pleasure to see and I assume hold.
      The department stores in Ginza are fantastic, full of very special pieces, and I can imagine this for sale there.
    7. kwqd kwqd, 4 years ago
      Thanks for your comments and for loving my latest bit of Koransha porcelain, Karen! This set is pretty amazing. The pieces are dainty, yet sturdy and the feel of the etched design is very pleasant. It is reminiscent of cloisonne. The colors are interesting, too. I don't believe that I have ever seen yellow and lavender combined this way. It is a bit jarring.
    8. kwqd kwqd, 4 years ago
      Thank you SEAN68!

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