Vase decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 24.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, early 20th century.
Ceramics

Kumeno Teitaro

Vase with a ho o bird depicted in ginbari technique, decorated with transparent graduated enamel from red to peach, height 26 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with a ho o bird depicted in ginbari technique, decorated with transparent graduated enamel from red to peach, height 26 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.

Kumeno Teitaro (1865-1939) from Nagoya (Japan) was considered the best master in the use of transparent enamels. Although he worked in almost all the enameling techniques known at that time, which he skillfully combined and applied to one product.

Ginbari vase with goldfish among seaweed, decorated with transparent and translucent graduated enamel, height 24 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with goldfish among seaweed, decorated with transparent and translucent graduated enamel, height 24 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.

The ginbari technique is a variant of the Japanese enameling technique, in which a relief pattern is first created on a metal silver-plated blank by engraving or chasing. Then the master creates a sense of three-dimensionality by forging some areas in relief, onto which cloisonné or wireless enamels are applied, which in itself is a considerable technical task. At the last stage, transparent background enamel is applied, changing in intensity and color in places, which required additional firing. Each of these processes was labor-intensive and expensive. But the result was worth it: the engraved design shines through the transparent enamel, and the silver coating gives a special glow to the enamel coating. It was Kumeno Teitaro who created the best examples of ginbari vases.

Ginbari vase with cloisonné enamel decoration of goldfish, surmounted by a sculpted silver figure of a frog and a silver log, height 14 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with cloisonné enamel decoration of goldfish, surmounted by a sculpted silver figure of a frog and a silver log, height 14 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.

Kumeno Teitaro opened his own studio in 1882 and exhibited at many national and international exhibitions, including Nuremberg in 1885, Paris in 1889 (where he was awarded a silver medal), Chicago in 1893. In St. Louis in 1904, his works received the Grand Prix, and in Liege in 1905 – a gold medal.

Ginbari vase with dragon design, height 24 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with dragon design, height 24 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with many chrysanthemums and peonies in cloisonné enamel, height 18 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with many chrysanthemums and peonies in cloisonné enamel, height 18 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with carp climbing up a waterfall under branches of wisteria and autumn maple, height 15.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with carp climbing up a waterfall under branches of wisteria and autumn maple, height 15.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase with hawk on rock, height 13 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, circa 1905.
Ginbari vase with hawk on rock, height 13 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, circa 1905.
Ginbari vase decorated with transparent red enamel, height 25 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Ginbari vase decorated with transparent red enamel, height 25 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 24.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, early 20th century.
Vase decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 24.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, early 20th century.
Vase decorated with cloisonné enamel depicting bamboo among stones, height 33.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase decorated with cloisonné enamel depicting bamboo among stones, height 33.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Pair of cloisonné enamel vases depicting birds of paradise on branches among stones, height 21.6 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Pair of cloisonné enamel vases depicting birds of paradise on branches among stones, height 21.6 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Cloisonné enamel vase depicting a ho o bird hovering over flowers, height 33.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Cloisonné enamel vase depicting a ho o bird hovering over flowers, height 33.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Cloisonné enamel vase depicting a hawk tied to a lacquer stand, height 61 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Cloisonné enamel vase depicting a hawk tied to a lacquer stand, height 61 cm.
Pair of vases with dragons decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 45 cm, attributed to Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Pair of vases with dragons decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 45 cm.
Vase with a peony motif, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25.4 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, early 20th century.
Vase with a peony motif, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25.4 cm, early 20th century.
Vase decorated with flowers and a dragonfly, cloisonné enamel, height 25 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Flowers and a dragonfly, cloisonné enamel, height 25 cm, late 19th century.
Vase with chrysanthemums, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25.4 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, early 20th century.
Vase with chrysanthemums, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25.4 cm, early 20th century.
Vase with hydrangea design, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 27.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with hydrangea design, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 27.5 cm, late 19th century.
Vase with flower motifs, decorated with cloisonné enamel on the outside and inside, height 32 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Flower motifs, decorated with cloisonné enamel on the outside and inside, height 32 cm, late 19th century.
Vase with chrysanthemums, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 38 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with chrysanthemums, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 38 cm.
Vase with an eagle on a rock, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 18.4 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with an eagle on a rock, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 18.4 cm.
A box in the shape of a traditional Japanese house, decorated with cloisonné enamel, length 12.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
A box in the shape of a traditional Japanese house, decorated with cloisonné enamel, length 12.3 cm.
Mandarin duck shaped box decorated with cloisonné and wire less enamel, length 8.3 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, circa 1905
Mandarin duck shaped box decorated with cloisonné and wire less enamel, length 8.3 cm, circa 1905.
Pair of vases with enamelled phoenixes, height 21 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Pair of vases with enamelled phoenixes, height 21 cm.
Vase with a depiction of wisteria, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Depiction of wisteria, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 25 cm.
Vase with rural landscape, decorated with cloisonné and wire less enamel, height 23.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with rural landscape, decorated with cloisonné and wire less enamel, height 23.5 cm.
Vase with hydrangea design, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 24.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Vase with hydrangea design, decorated with cloisonné enamel, height 24.5 cm, late 19th century.
Stained glass enamel vase with birds and maples over a waterfall, height 18.5 cm, Kumeno Teitaro, late 19th century.
Stained glass enamel vase with birds and maples over a waterfall, height 18.5 cm, late 19th century.