Meiji period (1868-1912), comprising:
a cup and saucer, painted with egrets perched on pine trees in the snow, with Mt. Fuji from afar, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 15th April, the fortieth year of Meiji (1907) in kanji above the seal,
saucer 11.4cm diameter,
another cup and saucer, painted with shōjō carrying a long-handled sake ladle, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 10th January, the fortieth year of Meiji (1907) in kanji above the seal,
saucer 11.7cm diameter,
two dishes, of a man in blue in a room, with Mt. Fuji visible in the distance from the window, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 25th June, the forty-first year of Meiji (1908) in kanji above the seal, with 'D&S Battie Collection' labels,
18.2 and 18.5cm diameter,
another dish, of lobed form, painted with three frogs on a lotus leaf, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 2nd December, the twenty-eighth year of Meiji (1895) in kanji above the seal, with a 'D&S Battie Collection' label,
21cm diameter,
a plate, decorated with a spider on its web, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 30th August, the forty-first year of Meiji (1908) in kanji above the seal, with a 'D&S Battie Collection' label,
21.5cm diameter, and
another plate, painted in the style of the famous woodblock print 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' by Katsushika Hokusai, with birds above, signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko Takebe, inscribed Tomasu Bi Buro (Thomas B Blow) in katakana and dated 30th August, the forty-first year of Meiji (1908) in kanji above the seal, with a 'D&S Battie Collection' label,
21.5cm diameter (9)
Provenance: The David and Sarah Battie Collection.
Very little is known about Shoko Takebe besides that this mark appears on several pieces commissioned by the English merchant Thomas Bates Blow (1853-1941). Blow had an interest in both botany and beekeeping. He travelled widely and lived in Japan from around 1906 until 1914, whilst writing on beekeeping, collecting plant specimens, and liaising with Japanese authorities on agricultural matters. He immersed himself in Japanese culture, marrying a Japanese lady and spending his spare time collecting Japanese art, which led to him supplying many European collections and collaborating with Alfred Baur in Geneva - see The Baur Collection (E113,HC) for a pair of vases with similar marks and inscriptions. As a member of the Red Cross during the First World War, Blow may have assisted with the Loan Exhibition of Japanese Art and Handicraft held in aid of the British Red Cross, October to November 1915.
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This catalogue presents a distinguished selection of Chinese and Japanese ceramics from the personal collection of David Battie — a respected authority in the world of Asian art and a longstanding figure on the BBCs Antiques Roadshow. With an eye honed by decades of scholarship, connoisseurship, and passion, Battie has assembled a collection that showcases the rich cultural dialogues between China and Japan through porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware. From the elegant restraint of Song dynasty monochromes to the vibrant decoration of Ming and Qing export wares.
David Battie's deep knowledge and personal engagement with these works breathe life into the collection, offering both seasoned collectors and newcomers a rare opportunity to experience the enduring allure of East Asian ceramics through his discerning lens.
Condition Report
Cup set with shōjō - cup damaged and fully repaired. Saucer with a firing crack to foot rim.
Cup set with egrets - cup with hairline cracks.
Plate with wave and plate with spider web - both with star cracks to underside.
Dish with frog - chipped to rim, surface scratches.
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Auction: Asian Art | Two-Day Sale, 15th May, 2025
Viewing
VIEWING
Main Sale (excluding books)
Viewing for all lots except the books from the single-owner collection will take place at our London Gallery, Sworders Fine Art, 15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ as follows:
Friday 9 May, 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10 May, 10am - 1pm
Sunday 11 May, 10am - 1pm
Monday 12 May, 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 13 May, 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 14 May, 10am - 4pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
Stansted - Viewing for the Book Collection Only
Viewing for the single-owner collection of books relating to Asian Art will take place by appointment only at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
Friday 9 May, By Appointment
Sunday 11 May, By Appointment
Monday 12 May, By Appointment
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The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
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