An early Japanese Plique-a-jour bowl from Nagoya

A small but exquisite plique-a-jour cloisonne bowl from Nagoya area in Japan dated to 1900-20s. Maker's unknown but possibly by Ando company. Very similar pieces can be found in the collection of V&A museum (reference number FE.12-2011 and FE.13-2011) and Ashmolean Museum in Oxford (1990.S). The design on this bowl features roses, day lily, peony and chrysanthemum in foliage. Under the light, it irradiates a translucent beauty that is hard to describe. With silver color metal ring and three feet (not marked as silver), the bowl has a heavier construction suggesting its earler age compared to the other two Plique-a-jour pieces we have on offer.

Plique-a-jour was reputedly introduced and further developed in Japan by Ando Jubei (1876-1953) and Kawade Shibatar? (1856–1921), after he saw a French piece in Paris exposition around 1900s. It is known as shotai-jippo, meaning cloisonne without backing (whereby the metal body was dissolved after firing and polishing). The technique is notoriously difficult and labor-intense. It was rarely used to make large piece as the surface tension tends to break the enamel.