Pair Of Small Japanese Satsuma Vases With A “thousand Faces” Design And Elephant-head Handles

Welcome to my shop.

A decorative pair of small Japanese Satsuma vases adorned with the “Thousand Faces” motif, depicting Buddhist figures, rakans, and dragons. The hand-painted designs are arranged in a mirror image, forming a harmonious set.

The richly gilded design features fine details: the figures’ clothing is accented with delicate gold lines and raised white enamel dots. White dragons wind their way among the figures, while stylized floral motifs adorn the necks. Each vase has two gilded handles shaped like elephant heads. The cream-colored glaze shows fine craquelure.

Both bases bear an elongated brown mark. On one of the vases, gold Japanese characters remain visible; on the other, only the brown background is visible. The manufacturer has not been definitively identified.

Japan, circa 1900.

Height: 12.5 cm.
Width: 7.4 cm.
Total weight: 356 grams.

The photographs show slight wear on the gilding, consistent with the piece’s age. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they are an integral part of the description.

Thank you for visiting my shop. Best regards, Ben.

Keywords: Satsuma, Thousand Faces, Japanese vases, pair of vases, mirror pattern, rakan, Buddhist figures, dragons, elephant-head handles, gilding, Japanese earthenware, Meiji.