Features
■ A Collectable on the Theme of Japanese Sumo Culture
Sumo is called Japan's national sport and has a history of more than a thousand years.
Yokozuna is the highest title in sumo; promotion does not rest on wins and losses alone but requires strength, character and standing in society.
The yokozuna of successive generations therefore hold a very high place in Japanese culture.
This piece gathers several representative yokozuna on a single plate, like a condensed history of sumo in Japan, and is of considerable commemorative interest.
■ Finely Modelled Relief Work
The figures on the plate are not flat printing but are modelled in relief.
On each wrestler one can clearly see:
facial expression
the lines of the body
the sumo stance
the contours of the muscles
Under light the relief gains depth, giving the whole a markedly sculptural effect. Relief work on this theme is quite representative among Japanese commemorative porcelain.
■ Mellow, Elegant Celadon Tone
The piece is fired with a pale celadon glaze, soft and calm in tone.
Celadon has long been regarded as an important representative of East Asian ceramic art; its characteristic jade-like quality and mellow sheen give a piece an elegant beauty with a sense of history.
The soft celadon contrasts strongly with the solid figures of the wrestlers, bringing out the appeal of the relief.
■ The Names of Successive Yokozuna in Full
The names of famous yokozuna through the generations are inscribed around the plate. For collectors familiar with sumo culture it is not only pleasing to look at but also of research and commemorative interest.
It may be called a piece that combines:
sporting culture
historical record
ceramic art
and commemorative collecting
— several kinds of value in one.
■ A Popular Subject in the Japanese Culture Collecting Market
In the market for Japanese cultural collectables in recent years, sumo subjects have continued to draw interest alongside samurai, ukiyo-e and maneki-neko.
Commemorative pieces connected with the yokozuna in particular are among the subjects that many sumo enthusiasts and collectors of Japanese culture actively seek.
All dimensions are measured by hand and may vary by ±1 cm.
Because of differences in computer displays, the item may differ somewhat from the photographs, for example in colour and tone. In addition, every item in our shop is an antique or vintage piece; being old, such pieces will inevitably carry traces of history or of use. To avoid unnecessary disputes, please buy only if you do not mind this. If you are a perfectionist, please do not place an order. (Auction notes) (Please also read the shopping notes in full.)