1a: A magnificent Meiji period Satsuma vase bearing a gilt mark Satsuma, the broad baluster body painted in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear crackle glaze, decorated with shaped panels featuring an eagle on a branch with peonies and blossom and pair of cranes with chrysanthemums and peonies, on a gold ground with Manchurian cranes in flight

Satsuma province, Japan, date circa 1880-1910

Height 42 cm, width 35 cm.

1b: A beautiful Meiji period Satsuma vase bearing a gilt mark Satsuma, the broad baluster body painted in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear crackle glaze, decorated with shaped panels featuring fish in a river bed with bamboo and blossom, eagles on a branch with chrysanthemums and peonies and pines, on a cream ground with painted black, white, red and gold Manchurian cranes against gilded cloud formations

Satsuma province, Japan, date circa 1880-1910

Height 55 cm.

1c: A very fine Meiji period Satsuma bowl bearing a gilt mark Satsuma, painted in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear crackle glaze with shaped gilded rim, the exterior decorated with black, white, red and gold Manchurian cranes in flight on a cream crackle glaze against gilded cloud formations and a gilded crest with a sixteen-petal chrysanthemum, the interior with similar birds with gilded crests with waves formations and blossom and a shaped panel featuring an eagle on a branch with peonies and blossom

Satsuma province, Japan, date circa 1880-1910

Height 18 cm, diameter of rim 42 cm.

These three wonderful Satsuma pieces, dating from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century Meiji period were presumably made and painted by the same potter since their decoration is fairly consistent. The Manchurian cranes that feature on all three pieces symbolised longevity of life, while the chrysanthemum was a symbol of purity. The sixteen-petal chrysanthemum crest was also used by the Imperial House. In the same vein, the peony symbolised Imperial power, while the pine was symbolic of strength, plum blossom the sign of womanhood and cherry blossom the symbol of the Japanese people.

Satsuma ware is a Japanese faience, which is generally crackled and has a cream, yellow or grey-cream colour and is often decorated with raised enamels. At the end of the sixteenth century, after failing to conquer Korea, the feudal lord Shimazu Yoshidiro returned to Japan with twenty-two Korean potters and their families. These potters settled in Kushikino and Kagoshima (formerly Satsuma province) on Kyushu. In 1601 they moved to Naeshirogawa, where there was a good supply of white clay materials. Here after much experimentation they succeeded in making the ware now known as Satsuma. One of the distinguishing features and indeed charms of Satsuma ware is its crackled glaze, the crackle being formed naturally when the piece is fired. Since the biscuit clay and glaze do not "fit" exactly, during firing the glaze shrinks more than the biscuit. This cream-coloured crackled ware has two qualities in its favour. One that white enamels can be used for decoration and secondly that because of the crackle, the decorative enamels sink into the cracks. Very often the crackle had colour rubbed into it to increase the decorative effect.

Until the mid eighteenth century Satsuma was generally undecorated and when enamelling was first used it was not ornate. Gold enamels were first added during the latter part of the 1700's but were used sparingly at first. Most of the early decorations were floral designs with birds and butterflies. By 1800, geometric and other repetitive patterns, known as diapers, and landscape were included to the overall designs. During the Meiji Restoration period (1868-1912) pieces are often decorated with floral designs and to a lesser extent with birds and fish. It was not until about 1850 that human figures, warriors and saintly figures appeared within the designs. These figural Satsuma wares were made especially for export, with their decoration conforming to the Western concept of Orientalism. Many of the motifs used on these wares and later Satsuma-style wares are indeed artistic interpretations of Japanese legends, myths and Buddhism. Raised enamelling was also a popular feature, which had great appeal for the Western Victorian society who admired heavy ornate decoration.

From about the time of the Meiji Restoration Satsuma ware was sent abroad in large quantities. Almost all export wares, known to foreigners as Satsuma ware, were manufactured in Naeshirogawa, Satsuma province and at Kyoto on the island of Awaji, in Yokohama, and Tokyo. Soon Westerners began eagerly collecting Satsuma ware, especially after it was first shown in the West at the Exposition Universelle, Paris 1867. Subsequent exhibitions opened up further possibilities, for instance a large collection of Japanese ceramics were shown at the Philadelphia Exhibition 1876 and taken the following year to South Kensington, London. In Frank's report on "Japanese Pottery", published in 1880 in connection with the 1876/7 exhibitions, the writer noted that up until the time of the Meiji Restoration (1868) the families were kept entirely separate from the Japanese population and that intermarriage was prohibited. To a considerable extent this preserved their language and customs. At the time of the report there were about 1,450 people engaged in pottery making. Frank also described the type of kiln that they used, which was built on the slope of a hill, after the Korean system. The single kiln measured 150 to 200 feet in length and 5 feet high. At the lower end of the kiln was a furnace although fuel, consisting of dried wood was thrown directly into the kiln. Because the heat was not evenly distributed many of the wares were damaged after firing.

Some Satsuma pieces were of enormous size. Huge vases were placed at the foot of a staircase or on either side of the fireplace, as they generally came in pairs. Very small objects such as buttons, hatpins and buckles were also made and are still being produced today. At the turn of the century a blue and white Satsuma ware was made for export. The underglaze designs were mainly Chinese landscapes and large peony blossoms, and the grey glaze has a fine crackle. These wares, again usually large were generally intended for use as incense burners or as ornamental bowls. Satsuma ware is still being produced today, especially in areas such as Kobe, Kyoto, Tokyo, Kutani in Kaga Province and Awaji Island and though made in different regions it is still appropriate to describe them under the same name.