Featured 19th Century Imari Porcelain - Purpose?

This exact style of piece was sold as a 19th Century Imari Plate (Mejii Period) that had been repaired. Gold repair Imari Plate [DW-P 1014] | Kyoto Art & Antiques (kyotoartandantiques.com) My find has the same motifs on the front, but the site does not have the reverse. My find is also very big at 16 inches in diameter, and slightly curved, so I'm not sure whether it is also a plate. It is damaged by the glaze flaking, so I only paid $20 for it and the stand. Someone put some felt on the bottom edge, probably to hide some damage, but I'm not going to remove it to find out.

My question to all of you is what do you think the purpose of it is? I don't know anything about Mejii table service, so I don't want to guess. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Why not contact Kyoto Art and Antiques and ask?

 

Lovely, even with the damaged glaze.
If it were mine I would risk removing the green felt, on the likelihood of finding no damage to that rim...the assumption I make is that it's there to protect a polished wood, or perhaps glass, surface. Good luck!

 

Excellent idea. Thank you.

 

Interesting idea. I'm not sure of the benefit as I wouldn't be looking at the back though. I'll have to think on that. Thank you.

 

19th century is pushing it a bit, most are early 20th. They were made to hang on your wall or display on a fancy buffet or sideboard, they were not intended for use. They were also made exclusively for export, it was not something a Japanese person would put in their house (odd exceptions of course, but this is far from the domestic Japanese taste.)

 

I agree with Ce Bca on age and usage, they were export Items and for decorative purposes mostly.
Too bad about the damage. Pretty platter though.
Mikey

 

Thank so much for this. I always respect your opinion. I saw similar pieces with a later date (1930) but with a different central design. This clears up the mystery perfectly. I couldn't see the purpose of such a large piece on a table. Not a bowl or platter. Just a pretty.

 

Thank you Mikey. From what I gather many of these pieces have similar damage. There must been some problem with the glaze they were using, but I'm not sure they contemplated these pieces being passed around a hundred years later.

 

I saw a 24” diameter Imari charger cross the block over the weekend. I think that’s the biggest I’ve seen. It was not decorated in a typical Imari theme. I bought a lot of large early 20th Imari plates recently. Haven’t picked them up though. I think those were mostly around 12” or so.