An Inban Ware Tea Cup: Swirling Patterns

late nineteenth century
2 5/8" x 2 3/4", 6.5 cm x 7 cm

Inban ware is a type of every day ceramic from old Japan that uses hand cut stencils to guide its design on to its surface: the stencils used for this purpose are very similar to those used in the katazome dyeing process, which makes Inban ware an interesting counterpart to folk textiles.

Inban ware was only produced for a narrow window of time, roughly from around 1878 to 1898.

Shown here is a teacup with an unusually complex design: it shows three different patterns two of which are repeated three times (arabesque and triangulared bishamon kikko) and one, the waves, is repeated six times.

The designs are dense and it is interesting how they swirl around the exterior of the cup in a very calculated and elegant way.

There is a flaw to the cup's rim which seems to have happened before it was fired as there is glaze over the flaw.

A densely decorated and very attractive example of Inban ware.