A Japanese blue and white sake flask decorated with a floral and two dragonflies. Quantity of dragonflies determine the quality of the sake.
19th century.
Height 11″, coll. #OR44
This piece was collected in Juneau, Alaska and bears a chipped owner’s mark.
“Chip marks” are literally chipped into the porcelain using a sharp steel point and are generally in Chinese characters.
These owner marks are usually found on porcelain items from Chinese 19th century mining or railway construction sites and appear occasionally on artifacts such as rice bowls. Illustration of mark below.
