Nabeshima porcelain (Jp.)
Highly refined porcelain principally for table use with underglaze-blue, Celadon and over-glaze enamel decoration produced in Hizen Province (modern Saga Prefecture).
For their own use the Nabeshima daimyo and clan designed and produced their own porcelain throughout the Edo Era (1603-1868). Their standards of perfection demanded the destruction of anything less than perfect. The wares was fired at their private kiln at Okawachi 1675-1871. The finest pieces dates to the late 17th-early 18th centuries.
From close to its inception, the style has been copied by other porcelain producing kilns. By the late 19th century the style was being produced at any number of places where porcelain was fired in Japan, including the Nabeshima kiln itself which by the end of the 19th century opened for commercial production.
Both the Arita town and the Imari city, well know for their porcelain, are located in the Saga prefecture.
Back to Chinese Porcelain Collectors Page