A Pair of 19th Century Imari Porcelain Double Gourd Form Vases

A fine pair of 19th Century Meiji Period vases of double gourd form, the bodies profusely decorated with red, blue and gold glazes upon a white ground.

Both the shape of this pair of vases as well as the material from which it was crafted have a long standing tradition in Japan.

The double gourd form was modelled on the calabash, a long Asian squash. Used for medicinal purposes, as food, as the body for a musical instrument or simply a vessel, the gourd stands for protection, blessing and guardianship as well as good fortune and happiness. In Feng Sui, connections to the womb, fertility and energy flow have also been made.

Imari ware has been one of Japan’s most popular products for centuries, since vast amounts of kaolin clay made production of such works possible.