Antique Japanese Imperial Satsuma Ceramic Gosu Blue Miniature Vase Snowflakes
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/2/7/132721643/published/mini-kyo-satsuma-snowflake-vase1-copy.jpg?1643081120)
Type: Miniature Vase or Tea Caddy (Chaire)
Material: Ceramic Pottery
Age: Early Meiji Period (1868-1912)
Origin/Maker: Imperial Satsuma ware, Japan
Size: 2 1/8" tall
Weight: 2.1 oz (60 g)
Provenance:
Collected:
Condition: Item is used in good condition commensurate with age, see photos. Tiny hairline crack to upper rim. Some light wear to painted design. If this is a chaire, it's missing the lid
Subject: Decorated in gosu blue with designs of snowflakes, both in the traditional Japanese style (the round blue one with 6 holes around the edges) and the newly discovered (at the time) scientifically accurate snowflakes.
In an interesting coincidence, I also have a blue and white porcelain vase by Kiyomizu Rokubei with a very similar design.
Note that in the early 1900s Ukichiro Nakaya of Japan was one of the first people to catalogue snowflake shapes, and he created the first artificial snowflake (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukichiro_Nakaya). And in an unusual coincidence, his first scientific paper was regarding Japanese Kutani porcelain.
Gotheborg says the following about gosu blue Satsuma wares (gotheborg.com/marks/satsuma.shtml):
The colour Gosu Blue is found on a type of Satsuma which used to be called Imperial Satsuma circa late 19 century. Gosu Blue is distinctive with a very thick glaze that can be either dark blue, green or black depending on the firing. "Satsuma Gosu Blue" was produced in very limited quantity in Kyoto in the mid-19th century, and is now the most sought after of the Satsuma wares.
Location: Antique Japanese Imperial Satsuma Ceramic Gosu Blue Miniature Vase Snowflakes
Material: Ceramic Pottery
Age: Early Meiji Period (1868-1912)
Origin/Maker: Imperial Satsuma ware, Japan
Size: 2 1/8" tall
Weight: 2.1 oz (60 g)
Provenance:
Collected:
Condition: Item is used in good condition commensurate with age, see photos. Tiny hairline crack to upper rim. Some light wear to painted design. If this is a chaire, it's missing the lid
Subject: Decorated in gosu blue with designs of snowflakes, both in the traditional Japanese style (the round blue one with 6 holes around the edges) and the newly discovered (at the time) scientifically accurate snowflakes.
In an interesting coincidence, I also have a blue and white porcelain vase by Kiyomizu Rokubei with a very similar design.
Note that in the early 1900s Ukichiro Nakaya of Japan was one of the first people to catalogue snowflake shapes, and he created the first artificial snowflake (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukichiro_Nakaya). And in an unusual coincidence, his first scientific paper was regarding Japanese Kutani porcelain.
Gotheborg says the following about gosu blue Satsuma wares (gotheborg.com/marks/satsuma.shtml):
The colour Gosu Blue is found on a type of Satsuma which used to be called Imperial Satsuma circa late 19 century. Gosu Blue is distinctive with a very thick glaze that can be either dark blue, green or black depending on the firing. "Satsuma Gosu Blue" was produced in very limited quantity in Kyoto in the mid-19th century, and is now the most sought after of the Satsuma wares.
Location: Antique Japanese Imperial Satsuma Ceramic Gosu Blue Miniature Vase Snowflakes