For sale: an exquisite designer tea ceremony bowl (matcha) in the traditional Japanese Kutani style.
Technique: Aka-e Kinrande (rich red enamel painting with abundant gilding).
Subject: The interior of the bowl is decorated with calligraphic text—the anthology of poems, "The 36 Immortal Poets" (Sanjurokkasen). The exterior is decorated with an intricate geometric pattern.
Workshop: Toryu-do, Ishikawa Prefecture. The maker's mark, Meizan, is on the bottom and inside the bowl.

Condition: Excellent collector's condition. The gilding is bright. There are no chips, cracks, or restorations. There is some darkening of the inner bottom.
Includes: Original wooden box (tomobako) with the artist's signature and seal.
This bowl would make a wonderful gift for a connoisseur of Eastern culture or a worthy addition to a collection of Japanese ceramics. The shape is ideal for properly whisking matcha tea.
Diameter: 12 cm, Height: 7,3 cm.
 
Most likely period: 1890–1920 (late Meiji–early Taisho).
During this period, Kutani ware bearing signatures was actively exported and sold domestically as fine art. The combination of the Kutani style with the Meizan name on the box is characteristic of this "golden age" of Japanese ceramics.

Antique characteristics: The use of paulownia wood for the box and the hand-applied ink with a brush—a traditional method of packaging valuable items of the time. Unlike modern mass-produced items (post-1950), where signatures are often simplified or stamped, this one features classic, "live" calligraphy.