SOLD-  
A Splendid and Exceedingly Rare Early Ai-Kutani Japanese moulded dish with pie-crust rim and sharply undulating cavetto, superbly painted with flowering branches of Peony issuing from Rockwork
 
Chokichidani kiln, Arita, Ai-Kutani type, Hizen province, Japan
early Edo period, Joo era (1652-55)
circa 1655
 
The exceptional finely potted white porcelain body of shallow circular form with a sharply moulded pie-crust rim dressed in iron brown fuchi-beni rim glaze with a superbly formed cavetto of undulating, spiralling form. 
 
The interior is boldly painted with a large central circular medallion depicting flowering branches of peony issuing from rockwork on a steep ground, the reverse encircled with a finely drawn double-lined scrolling hana-karakusa.
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A cobalt-blue Kaku-Fuku (Lucky sign) seal character on the reverse within a double square, the edge of the footring burnt red, thickly potted base. This mark was used at the Chokichidani kiln throughout the 1650s.
 
Measurements: 
20.3 cm (7.99 in) in diameter
 
Condition report:
In excellent original condition. One extremely small flake to the fuchi-beni iron-glazed rim at 6 o'clock.