Late 19th Century Antique Japanese Painted and Enameled Vase With Mark, Decorated With Phoenix Birds

This elegant enameled Satsuma Vase is distinguished by two Phoenix birds – symbols of immortality, resurrection and life after death – one on each side of the vase. They are not identical in shape and detail, although they both have expressive features and blue and gold feathers.

The vase is signed, with a simple mark of crossed lines, one bisecting and bending below the other. The base is pitted. It likely dates from the Meji period, c. 1880.

The vase is baluster-shaped, with a high neck and wide shoulders. The body of the vase is covered in designs, divided into horizontal sections: the base; the tapering lower section; the wide middle with the phoenix birds peering out from foliage, and the neck, with several layers of decoration including rosettes and finely detailed stripes. The lip opens wide at the top. On each side, where there is a simulated handle in relief through which is intertwined a bow shape in relief, painted and enameled, the two ends of which open out into fan shapes. The length of the bow’s ends and the continuation of the leaf/vine designs, contribute to the elegance of the shape.

The light colors of the vase, plus the overall enameling, give it a smooth sheen. The colors are primarily light blue and light gold/brown, with some spots where green and crimson/brown are used to highlight design elements.

12 ¼” H; 16.5 at widest point, and the base is 3″ in depth.