Hello.

This is a beautiful and unusually shaped Kutani ware serving dish (mukozuke or mamezara) featuring a hand-painted "Bird and Flower" (Kachofugetsu) motif. The piece is executed in the traditional Kutani Five Colors (gosai) palette, with vitreous enamels in navy blue, green, yellow, and coral. It measures approximately 6.5" x 5" x 1.5". The only condition issues are two small chips at the top of the dish and soiling on the underside. 

Key Features:
•  Likely Meiji Period (1868–1912). The high quality of the hand-painted line work and the subtle iridescence in the lead-based glazes are indicative of significant age (1st and 3rd photo).
• Distinctive gourd or cloud shape, an auspicious symbol of longevity and good health in Japanese culture.
• The base features the hand-painted green square "Fuku" (福) mark, meaning "Good Fortune" or "Happiness." This seal is historically associated with the Yoshidaya kiln and the revival of the Old Kutani (Ko-Kutani) style.
•  A detailed bird perched on a flowering branch, framed by geometric patterns and abstract red pine-needle motifs on the underside.

Please contact me with any questions. Thank you.

Note: Any description in this listing is not a professional/qualified assessment, unless otherwise stated. Please note that monitor outputs vary and the colors that appear on a given monitor may not exactly match those of the actual product. Please review the photos as they are part of the description and the item(s) is sold as shown. Please note that the item(s) is used; noticeable defects will be noted in the listing, whereas reasonably slight wear (very small scratches, shelf wear, etc) may not be noted. I offer combined shipping and a 14 day return policy. This item will be shipped within three days of cleared payment. Thank you for looking.