Vase

Country: Japan

Manufactory: Satsuma

Year of establishment: end of the 19th century

Size (cm): 48*28

Porcelain Story

During a recent trip to Greece, I did not have much time to get to know Athens. And although I had visited the Greek capital before, I still wanted to see a lot again.

And suddenly one of my journalist friends, with whom we traveled together almost all the countries of Europe, suggested: why not go to the “flea market”? Doubts immediately arose: firstly, who said that there is a “flea market” in Athens? And, secondly, even if we assume that it exists, who said that such a market would work on a weekday (and it was on a Thursday)?

- I said, - the author of the idea firmly declared and, having unfolded the map of the city, with a confident step headed towards the ruins of an ancient palace, located at the foot of a mountain flooded with bright sun. In mid-February, the sun warmed in Athens, the grass turned green and the orange trees were completely strewn with bright fruits.

We walked long enough. And without any hope of success. With the same company, we visited “flea markets” in Portugal and Italy, in Austria and Great Britain, in Albania and Spain during trips to football. A significant part of the items in my collection was found and brought from such trips. And among these works, by the way, there were many very rare and valuable works. And then the interest was fueled by a recent report that the other day in Exeter, England, a small (28 centimeters high) blue and white porcelain Chinese vase was found lying in the attic for many years. According to the woman who found it, the vase was brought from Shanghai by her aunt in the 1920s. Initially estimated by experts at 26-50 thousand dollars, the vase was put up for auction, where the price began to rise rapidly during the auction. An unnamed buyer from China ended up paying $765,000 for the vase!

In short, we approached the "flea market" expecting a miracle. And, it must be admitted, it happened. Dozens of small antique shops were open and attracted rare visitors with incredible deposits of rare books, records, paintings, lamps and figurines made of bronze, wood, marble and, of course, porcelain. I note that such an abundance of porcelain vases, as in the Athenian "flea market", is for me - with my experience! - perhaps, at all it was not necessary to meet anywhere before. The eyes just bulged out. Plunging into the twilight of a series of halls full of antiques, we seemed to be dissolving in the amazing beauty of past times, which by some miracle has survived to this day ...

There was less and less time left. And the choice was unimaginably large. Having made an incredible effort, I froze in front of a large Japanese vase presented to your attention today. It is extraordinarily beautiful. The fine work of the SATSUMA masters manifested itself here not only in the bright colors of scenes from Japanese life, but also in the finest detailing of fragments of these mini-paintings.

We talked for a short time, but successfully. It was hard and pleasant to carry a new acquisition. I don’t know if this vase will ever be put up for auction and go under the hammer for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. If that happens, it won't be in my lifetime. In the meantime, I will enjoy its beauty, sharing this pleasure with you.