A 17th century Ai-Kutani blue & white moulded dish with pie-crust rim and undulating cavetto, very finely painted with a pair of egrets at the waters edge amongst bound rock weirs
 
Arita ware, Ai-Kutani type, Hizen province, Japan
Early Edo Period (17th century)
circa 1670-90
 
The finely potted white porcelain body of shallow circular form with a moulded pie-crust rim  dressed in iron brown fuchi-beni rim glaze and a beautifully formed cavetto of undulating, spiralling form. 
 
The interior is very finely and asymmetrically painted with a pair of egrets frolicking at the waters edge, amongst net-bound boulders and lapping waves. Bound rock baskets, used in Japanese as breakwaters or 'rock weirs' were often depicted in 17th century Japanese painting, and more rarely, in porcelain designs. Large leaves, single large flower head and a sole twisted blossom issue from amidst the rockwork, with scattered florets at the bases of the weirs. 
 
The reverse encircled with a single-lined scrolling vine and florets.
 
 
Measurements:
8 inches in diameter (20.5 cm); 1-1/4 inches in height (2.9 cm).
 
Condition report:
Small ancient kintsugi (gold) repair to rim; very small rim flake to the fuchi-beni edge; otherwise excellent condition. Three spur-marks (kiln support marks) to the reverse.