Japanese Kutani Porcelain Koro with Komainu Lid Meiji ー日力ヌ系田土造

A beautifully hand painted and highly collectable decorative antique Japanese porcelain koro 香炉 (incense burner) decorated in the traditional iron red style called aka-e kinran-de ( 赤絵 金襴手 ). This style of decoration is usually associated with Kutani. 

The koro which is generally globular in shape with an upright collar to retain the lid. The body stands on 3 curved legs and has two pierced upright handles and a domed lid with a Foo dog or Komainu (guardian lion) finial.

The whole body and lid have been finely hand painted in enamels with profuse gilding. The main design structure is painted with two large main ornately shaped cartouches on opposing sides these panels are painted with branches flowers and birds.. The space below each handle has a fan shaped cartouche painted with grasses and flowers.  The remaining space is filled with iron red enamel with gilding in cloud scrolls, diaper decoration, and gilded stylised flowers.

The koro is marked in iron red enamel on the base in kanji characters, which are quite difficult to decipher, we think it states ー日力ヌ系田土造 , ̄-Bi-ryoku nu-kei Tado zō , which  we think roughly translates as One day workshop Tado made. Kutani-yaki is a type of ware sometimes known as  再興九谷 saikō-Kutani made in the nine valleys in the Hyōgo Province, on the island of Honshu, Japan. However, this Koro may possibly come from Tado ( now Kuwana) in the Mei prefecture of Honshu. 

This koro dates from the mid to late 19th century and from the Meiji period (1868-1912) . 

The koro is approximately 7 inches high,(19cm) 5 inches  ( 12.5cm) diameter at the widest. It  weighs 399 grammes unpacked.

It is in excellent antique condition with no chips cracks nor restoration, it has some minor glaze crazing and very minor wear to the gilding  Please see the images and description.

This is a highly collectable and decorative items and great for display on its own or as part of a collection antique Japanese porcelain or Kutani-yaki.