25. Miyakodori (Capital birds) kogo

$4,400.00

Jingdezhen, China

Ming Dynasty, Tianqi Period (1620-1627)

Of octagonal form raised on a flaring foot with a bird-shaped finial to the lid, the faceted sides decorated with auspicious symbols within shaped reserves.  5.75cm high, 5.25cm diameter.  Together with an early Edo period Japanese wooden box.  Cat. 431

Note:  ‘Capital birds’ is a reference to a passage from the 10th century Japanese classic, the Ise Monogatari, where the protagonist is exiled from Kyoto to the Eastern Provinces.  As he crossed the Sumida River in what is now Tokyo, he sees unfamiliar birds, and upon asking locals what type they are, they reply that they are miyakodori – birds of the Capital.  He then recites a waka poem which has come to symbolise a yearning for lost love and home, translating as:

‘If you truly bear the name birds of the Capital, then I must ask you: does the one I love still live, back in the city I long for?’

Condition report (carefully viewed under UV, strong light and magnification): one small glaze skip to one of the faceted corners of the lid (production/firing flaw).

Jingdezhen, China

Ming Dynasty, Tianqi Period (1620-1627)

Of octagonal form raised on a flaring foot with a bird-shaped finial to the lid, the faceted sides decorated with auspicious symbols within shaped reserves.  5.75cm high, 5.25cm diameter.  Together with an early Edo period Japanese wooden box.  Cat. 431

Note:  ‘Capital birds’ is a reference to a passage from the 10th century Japanese classic, the Ise Monogatari, where the protagonist is exiled from Kyoto to the Eastern Provinces.  As he crossed the Sumida River in what is now Tokyo, he sees unfamiliar birds, and upon asking locals what type they are, they reply that they are miyakodori – birds of the Capital.  He then recites a waka poem which has come to symbolise a yearning for lost love and home, translating as:

‘If you truly bear the name birds of the Capital, then I must ask you: does the one I love still live, back in the city I long for?’

Condition report (carefully viewed under UV, strong light and magnification): one small glaze skip to one of the faceted corners of the lid (production/firing flaw).