Imari porcelain is one of the most striking styles of Japanese porcelain. The style originated circa 1616 in the city of Arita and the porcelain ware was distributed to Japanese locations through the northern Kyushu port of Imari. The traditional color palette for Imari porcelain is very vivid with an underglaze of cobalt blue, and overglaze of iron red and details in gold paint. Sometimes green and yellow polychrome enamel colors were also used as accents. The rich ornamental look of Imari porcelain is reminiscent of the brocading of Japanese textiles. Next month, Flying Cranes Antiques (located in galleries 55, 56 and 58 in The Manhattan Art and Antiques Center, 1050 Second Avenue at 55th St - NY, NY 10022), will feature a display of Japanese Imari porcelains. Exhibited for sale will be rare forms executed in the rich palette characteristic of the ware. The Flying Cranes Antiques Imari porcelain collection includes various forms: bottle shapes, vases, covered jars, foliate plates dating circa 1850-1880. The cost range for the exhibition is in the $800 to $15,000 with many pieces in the $1,000-2,500 range. Shown here is one of the exhibition pieces - a Japanese Imari porcelain shell-form plate (19th Century - Circa 1850-1880 which has a price of $2,200.
Decorating with animals is tricky (all too often it just comes off as tacky) but these crisp white porcelain creations from Rose and Radish may be the answer for those looking for a way to bring the beauty of nature indoors. This collection of porcelain wildlife figurines has all the usuals (i.e. lots of birds) plus a few unusuals like a goat and a hippopotamus. The hippo happens to be my favorite because he looks like he'd be really interesting, without being too bright or bold, sitting on a bookshelf. $1019
Ceramic wall tiles by Heather Knight. I like them because they're bright pure white, and because I love three- dimensional art hanging up on the wall. Inspired by nature, Heather Knight creates each delicate design by hand and works pretty much exclusively in porcelain. These tiles are porcelain and are modeled after different plants like turf, hydrangea, and noni (top row) and magnolia, durian, and lichen (bottom row). I'm not crazy about them displayed in a grid pattern like this but I think a grouping of them would definitely be gorgeous on almost any wall. $895 for the collection of 6.
I'm not one to drink my tea out of a fancy cup and saucer, but some of them can be so pretty I can see how people end up collecting them -- if even just to display and never use. But regardless whether you want to actually sip from them or just look at them, these Alma Fortune Cups and Saucers would make a beautiful addition to any China cabinet. Kind of like reading tea leaves, the design is based on the Middle Eastern tradition called Tasseography (or the reading of a person's fortune in coffee grounds) but instead of grounds the fortune is forever captured in 22k gold. No two are alike. $95
The question is: do you find out what fortune you got?
This stunning piece of hand-painted porcelain was designed by Johann Joachim Kaendler in 1770 and is a beautiful example of why the artist is considered the father of European porcelain modeling. To commemorate Kaendler's birth, last year Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen of Germany issued a select number of his works as part of their Kaendler Edition 2006. The Lobster Box features a gold signet with the artist's initials as well the Meissen Crossed Swords on the bottom of the dish. The piece is 7" long and sells for $6,200.
You've seen what Clarke Sorensen can do with a urinal, now check out his fanciful sinks. By their very nature, pedestal sinks are graceful and elegant. But in the hands of Sorensen, the elongated shape of the base becomes a stem and the reservoir, a beautifully detailed poppy. Made from high-fire porcelain, the sinks are available in other flower designs as well as leaves and shells. Designed to sit atop a cabinet or a pedestal, the sinks can be custom-ordered to go with any color scheme. $2,800.
Art is all about evoking emotions and feelings, and in some cases capturing a moment or an action that means something to somebody. And if this piece, the Boehm Bucking Bronco, doesn't capture action and emotion then I don't know what does. Of course it depicts very specific subject matter that may not appeal to everybody, but there's no denying how lifelike and detailed it is -- you can almost hear the horse snorting just by looking at it. Handcrafted and hand-painted porcelain in shades of brown, tan and white, it measures 26"H x 20"W x 22"D. $20,000
Summer calls for uncomplicated desserts, light cakes adorned only with fresh flowers or fruit. This adorable cake stand from Daisy Dog Studio is the perfect complement to the summer dessert table. Daisy Dog Studio is a small New York company that creates brightly colored porcelain tableware. The company is named after Daisy the dog and gives 5% of all sales to PETA. The stand sells for $100.
I love this. Lovegrove & Repucci have taken the traditional look of blue and white Dutch Delft porcelain and turned it on its ear. The New York Delft Porcelain dinnerware is a five-piece place setting of a dinner plate, side plate, soup bowl, cup and saucer. The pieces feature New York objects such as graffiti, taxi cabs, street vendors and delivery trucks. Each piece sells for $80.
This handmade porcelain vase looks a bit like a stack of bowling pins. The unglazed bisque porcelain vase is composed of 47 small vases. It is designed to hold a few flowers in random places to create a striking display that seems more delicate and precarious than it is. The vase measures 13" tall by 7" square and is imported from the Netherlands. It sells for $350.
It looks like we have another item to add to our list of gifts for coffee lovers, or at least for people on the look out for expensive coffee cups because the Hoffmann Coffee Cup is one of the most expensive that we've seen. For a single cup, this runs $334.16. The design, which is down in gold and is precisely symmetrical, was inspired by Josef Hoffmann, one of the founders of Augarten Porcelain in Vienna, and is actually done on a cup that is a Hoffmann design.
The pattern for the Woodgrain Breakfast Set was originally created in the late 18th century, an expertly-painted wood pattern set on fine porcelain, and though this is a modern reproduction, it is the first to be seen in a very long time. On top of the wood pattern, there is an image of a painting, similar to one that an 18th century engraver would have tacked to his workbench for reference as he reproduced it on copper. The plates are all rimmed with 24K gold. Each set comes with a cup, saucer and breakfast plate. Price: $3,200.
Solid white dinnerware is no longer the top choice of those who treat entertaining as a second job. This season, black and white dinnerware the way to go. The contrast is more dramatic than solid white and designers have taken advantage of this by using less traditional patterns. The Rialto Dinnerware collection is black and white Limoges porcelain with elegant, geometric patterns that are similar to those mosaic tiles found in Spain. Each piece of the set, including the cup/saucer pair, is sold in sets of four with the exception of the chargers, which are sold individually. All are available at Neiman Marcus.
Eating at Thomas Keller's Yountville restaurant, The French Laundry, is one of the best dining experiences in the world, but is certainly not an everyday one. For the sake of your wallet and your waistline, your best bet is to save a trip out to Napa for special occasions and try to recreate the experience at home with Thomas Keller's line of dinnerware. You can cook up your own gourmet meals, perhaps with the help of the French Laundry Cookbook, or simply add a few presentation points to your favorite chicken and rice dish. The collection was designed by Keller with Bertrand Raynaud, the president of the Raynaud porcelain company, which produces the all-white table and dinnerware. It is named after Fernand Point, certainly one of the most famous and influential French restaurateurs/chefs of the past century. The whole collection, from classic plates to cups and saucers, is available at Gumps. Each piece is beautifully simple, suitable for both casual and formal occasions.
The gold accent plates from notNeutral designs come in four, limited
edition designs. The symmetrical, spiraling designs are done in 22-karat gold on fine, white porcelain and only 250 of
each plate were produced. At 12.5-inches in diameter, the plates can be used as chargers or even as serving pieces.
Each plate is $76.
