Sake bottle with squared sides and tanuki-shaped stopper

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

On View
  • Period

    early 19th century
  • Geography

    Gojozaka, Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan
  • Material

    Bottle: stoneware with iron glaze; stopper: porcelain with clear glaze and manganese-purple enamel
  • Dimension

    H x W: 20 x 9.8 cm (7 7/8 x 3 7/8 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1903.46a-b
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1903.46a-b

Object Details

  • Artist

    Nin'ami Dohachi 仁阿弥道八 (1783-1855)
  • Description

    Sake bottle (tokkuri [JPN]), squared sides. Animal-head stopper. (tanuki).
    Clay: coarse, light-fawn. Dark brown on surface. Stopper is porcelain.
    Glaze: brilliant black over mahogany-brown. Blue-gray inside neck.
    Stopper: clear glaze and purple enamel.
    Mark on stopper: Nin'ami [JPN]. Incised undulating line around shoulder.
  • Marks

    On stopper: Nin'ami [JPN]
  • Provenance

    To 1903
    Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1903 [1]
    From 1903 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1903 [2]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]
    Notes:
    [1]
    See Original Pottery List, L. 1222, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Freer’s Global Network: Artists, Collectors, and Dealers (October 15, 2022 - ongoing)
    Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons in Japanese Art (September 14, 1977 to April 8, 1978)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    Gojozaka, Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Vessel
  • On View

    Freer Gallery 09: Freer’s Global Network
  • Restrictions and Rights

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