Page 39 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

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INTRODUCTION 19

contrast, look exceedingly beautiful ; hanging flower-holders of an infinite
variety of design quaint little receptacles just big enough to hold one
;
flower. These may be placed on the writing-table or shelf in the room.
Hanging, boat-shaped vessels, or two square-shaped buckets suspended
from a wheel, as well as large, heavy trays, are also made for flowers. The
flower-pots are often of blue and white porcelain or celadon glaze. These
are very ornamental.

Incense-Burners
The burning of incense sticks or little bits of incense takes place on
many occasions : in the tea ceremony, before the household shrine, on the
presence of a guest, and at the grave. There are many forms of incense-
burners,— some made in the shape of an animal, the smoke finding egress
through its mouth and eyes ; others in the form of a house, the smoke
coming out of the openings in the ends of the ridge ; or the vessel may be
in the form of a bronze incense-burner, the glaze made to resemble copper.

Incense-Boxes
The exuberance of the Japanese potter is most fully displayed in the
boxes to hold incense. Here the coquetries and conceits, the unexpected-
nesses and surprises, in the words of Jarves, find the fullest expression.
Mammals, birds, fishes, insects, mythological objects, fruits and flowers, and
every conceivable object, even mountains and waterfalls, are all rendered in
pottery for this service.

Ornamental Objects
Under this head may be placed pottery figures in the shape of some
mythological animal or household deity, which is placed in the recess
below the hanging picture or kakemono. This kind of picture rolls up like
a map when not in use, and the stick upon which it rolls may sometimes
have pottery or porcelain knobs. Curious-shaped objects, usually of metal,
but sometimes of pottery, are used to hang on these knobs to straighten
the picture. A rare but ingenious contrivance in pottery, in which an
open fan is displayed, is made to hang on some upright post in the room
a circular disk of pottery, with the characters for large and small on
opposite sides, is to remind one of the greater or less number of days in
a month. Cages to hold musical insects are sometimes seen in porcelain
large, deep vessels are provided in which rock-work is built and goldfish
little pottery cups with loops are used to hold bird-seed.
are kept ;