Japanese Sake Bottle with Hand-painted Underglaze Blue Decoration

Sale price $55.00 Regular price $72.00

I really love the lush unglaze blue decoration on this old porcelain Japanese Sake bottle or Tokkuri -- super loose and gestural, dense on the front and sparser on the reverse, and feeling to me both ancient and modern. The banded design around the shoulders of the bottle was done at a bit of a tilt, making me love it even more, as if its maker had a sake to two before embarking on their task!  

I've found a close match of this bottle that describes it as 19th century, but I'm not entirely certain; definitely it has some age. It is in very good condition, no chips or cracks, just a couple of small brown stains that show against the white gaze on the back side, pretty minor and which I don't think detract. Great still for pouring hot sake, or lovely as a vase.

8 7/8" tall x 3" diameter, 1 1/2" across at lip. At some point small pads were added to the bottom.