Japanese Unmarked Pea Green Celadon Dish, 19th century

A moulded Japanese celadon dish in a beautiful even shade of green. It is in excellent condition with a neatly trimmed foot. Heavily potted with thick glaze and minor firing grit.

The dish is unmarked, but we can assume it is Japanese rather than Chinese from the spur marks to the base.

Celadon came to Japan following its invasion of Korea and a transfer of knowledge and potters. Celadon production began in Japan in the early 1700s in the Imari, Arita, or Nabeshima areas, located in the Eastern part of Hizen and present Saga Prefecture. It is possible this dish is from Sanda in present-day Hyogo prefecture. A kiln was set up in Sanda city in the mid-18th century to recreate Chinese Longquan celadon. Most of the Sanda ware was made with clay moulds. The local Toishidani clay could produce a deep green colour. As a white clay, the glaze was applied more thickly to enrich the colour.

Celadon colour is produced by iron in the clay and iron oxide, manganese oxide, and quartz particles in the glaze. Celadons are fired at a high temperature in a reducing atmosphere kiln. By reducing the amount of oxygen in the kiln, iron oxide is transformed from ferric to ferrous iron (Fe2O3 ? FeO), producing a range of celadon colours. Small amounts of iron oxide produces a blue colour and larger amounts result in an olive green or finally black.