Page 277 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KAKIYEMON. 375

days it is pretty well understood that they were the first porce-
lains of Japan brought into Europe, that they were made at
Arita, in the province of Hizen, and were the product of a
manufacturer named ' Kakayemon.'
"
That these wares had once a great renommee is proved by
the fact that were imitated at far and
they every manufactory
wide at Dresden, and other German works at St. Cloud,
;
where seems to this ware
every specimen copy early Japanese ;
and at Chelsea, Bow, and Worcester.
"
In the collection of Sir Augustus Franks in the British
Museum, there are several examples, and now and then
specimens of it crop up in sales. Its characteristics are the
reverse of the laterHizen remarkable
porcelains, being especially
for a neat execution of the decoration, which is thrown up by
the mat and And the
pure slightly creamy-tinted paste. yet
later Hizen porcelains often reproduce many of the motives
of the ornament of these.
"
I admire this old Japan ware, but have been
especially
favoured with few of it.
opportunities studying Thirty years
I was offered a of such vases as I have sketched
ago perfect pair
upon the last page (No. 841), by Mr. Davis, of Bond Street,
but I knew so little of them that I was not inclined to
purchase.
A few years later, the same pair turned up in a sale at which
I was not and sold for 16 or
present, 18, which I heard that
a broker declared was ' quite enough ' ; and not long after, I
bought at a country sale the vase which I have here tried to
suggest, No. 841.
"
Mr. Nightingale, of Wilton (a gentleman now dead), who
took interest in knew of this old
great porcelain, nothing
Japan, but from Sir Augustus Franks I received the little
information that I possess, and I am very wishful to add to it.
"
In some drawer or in this house I have a fluted
cupboard
saucer with with a scene where a
Vandyked edge, painted
to release himself from a in an of
tiger struggles trap, angle
a banded hedge ' (see No. 843) where grows a palm tree. The
'
saucer has a ' spur mark,' and is, doubtless, a piece of the same
old Japanese, but appears of a finer quality of porcelain, has some
touches of I think, and
gilding, is very brilliant altogether.
I have also a Bow and saucer from one of these
cup copied
called in a memorandum of the Bow
Japanese specimens,
VOL. II. H 2