Featured Chinese Moriage or Not

@Rabid Collector - Now that info could possibly settle the matter. Although I just read that only the Chinese Imperial dragons have five toes, and all others have four. The article also said that there are no rigid boundaries - that some Chinese dragons have three toes just like the Japanese. Have you heard of that? (Again, I really do not know whether this bottle is Chinese or Japanese and am hoping an expert will tells us!)

And just now I found what I believe to be an image of a Chinese dragon with three toes on this page:
https://classroom.synonym.com/difference-between-japanese-chinese-dragons-12081559.html

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought most moriage was cake like and Not reflective or shiny. This moiage appears to be shiny so could it be enameled over?
Patd

 

According to the Japanese terminology, moriage refers to the basic technique of creating raised design. A clay slip is used to create the raised patterns. It can be subsequently embellished with enamel colors or gilding, or left plain.

 

Thanks 2 Many. I had not seen the shiny before. Patd

 

Figured it out, it's called a martaban jar and from the looks of it it is pretty old. A storage jar, what makes this one pretty rare is the moriage decorations, can anybody guesstimate age by the way the figures are depicted?, Thanks all around.

 

Could you please post a picture of the martaban jar you think it looks like? Because it does not look anything like the jars I have seen.

 

Who was it on the old eBay boards that was insistent about true moriage being thick, icing-like slip and not raised enamel? Dang, can’t remember her username. From gotheborg.com with photo:
https://www.gotheborg.com/glossary/moriage.shtml

 

According to a glossary by Tsuneko Wakabayashi: “Techniques and Glossary for Old Noritake”, which is included in the book “Masterpieces of Old Noritake” (Edited by Yumiko Oga and Tsuneko Wakabayashi. Translated by Aki Oga Kato and Judith Boyd. Heibonsha, April 2001. pgs 163-167”) :

1. Moriage – a technique used to make ceramics three-dimensional, including convex raised, icchin raised, brush raised, Wedgwood (techniques of Jasperware) and so on and usually combined with other techniques. The characteristic moriage is extremely elaborate and delicate and may be combined with gold, coloured paint or jewels that created a colourful, artistic decoration.
2. Icchin Moriage – Icchin is the name of the tool used to draw moriage. White or coloured mud clay paint (made with water and clay) is put in the icchin and then squeezed out the beak to create decorative lines, faces and dots, much like the process of decorating a cake.
3. Gold Raised Work – After the first firing of a painted piece, the icchin is used to draw dots, dotted lines or pictures with the mud clay. It is fired again and the moriage is covered by painting it with liquid gold giving a raised gold look.
4. Gold Beading, Aqua Beading – After the first firing, moriage is used to decorate in small dots and must be done carefully and precisely. Gold beading is just gold painted on top of the beads. Water colour beading is called “aqua beading” because it looks like bubbles of water.
5. Raised Enamel (Jewels) – is a technique used to enhance a gold finish whereby drops of shining enamel are put on top of a gold colour or gold overlay to make it even more luxurious. A mixture of enamels and chemicals is dissolved and applied with a hypodermic-like tool resulting in a jeweled effect.

These definitions (by a Japanese author) indicate that moriage is the basic technique of creating raised decorations using clay slip, and that it was often combined with additional decorative techniques, including the use of enamels on top of the raised designs. This would indicate that the term should not be restricted to plain slip decorations (the type frequently described as looking like cake icing), but can also be used to describe the substrate of other types of decoration.

 

I don't know what these guys are up to (or anything about pottery), but I swear there are nine of them.

 

Got a response from Asian Art Forum, it's called a tokoname ware and the images are actually carved, how cool is that. Anyway, appreciate yalls help.

 

this is Japanese. Chinese dragons have 3, 4, & 5toes(claws). 5 is an imperial dragon, 4 is for high ranking officials, & 3 is for low ranking officals. Hope this helps.

 

Mario - Thanks for getting back to us with that response you received. Would you be willing to quote the entire response you got from Asian Art Forum? I thought it was very interesting.

 

I've always thought this too....but I seem to remember there was a discussion here about the validity of the claw ranking system , and if it holds in all types of art work...?

Oh...I mean no offense.... just thinking out loud...!

Bless you , & may the Lord keep you safe !!

 

UMMMmm ... Komo, knock it off and return to your old self .. the one we love !! .. no offence intended ..Love Joy.