Covered Japanese Imari Porcelain Tea Jug On Three Feet Forming A Tea Fountain, 19th Century

With its tapered octagonal body, this charming 19th-century Japanese tea fountain, decorated with Imari motifs, rests on three curved feet of thick porcelain adorned with red and gold floral designs on a blue background. Its hinged lid is encircled with pewter and the hinge is attached to the handle. This piece of curiosity is generous and aesthetically pleasing, with its upper section featuring openwork and a double wall at the back, designed to keep the delicious brew of tea warm. A decorative and functional Japanese item, it was the kind found in elegant salons where gaichas gracefully circulated, carrying this beautiful fountain to the table. The skillful decoration and lovely colors lend this piece a rare elegance. The proportions and richness of this tea fountain, with its thick pewter spout, give this unusual object an original and singular appearance. A preserved curiosity (with a slight, invisible restoration under one foot), it would be perfect for a collector's cabinet with a taste for the exotic. Uncommon and original...