Vintage Japanese Kutani Sanford Vase and Ginger Jar Pair Hand Painted Crackle

Details

Vintage Japanese Kutani style Sanford vase and ginger jar pair crackle glaze hand painted peacock and pheasant porcelain Chinoiserie decor

This is a pair of mid-20th century Japanese Kutani-style porcelain pieces, featuring a lidded ginger jar and a bulbous vase. Both are richly hand-painted over a fine ivory crackle glaze with gilt highlights.
• The ginger jar depicts elegant peacocks among wisteria, chrysanthemums, and peonies. The detailing is vibrant with layered enamels, deep cobalt, and gilt outlining. The lid shows lighter crackle compared to the body, common to these production runs.
• The vase has a wide shoulder and flared rim with gilt banding, decorated with long-tailed pheasants among autumn chrysanthemums in red, green, and lavender with gold highlights.

Base marks:
• Ginger jar: Hand-painted Japanese calligraphy mark in red (Kutani school style).
• Vase: Red square seal and original silver foil “Sanford Japan” export label. Sanford was a U.S. importer active in the 1950s–1970s, specializing in hand-decorated Kutani-style wares for Western markets.

Condition: Both pieces are in excellent condition with no chips or cracks, light age wear to gilt only. The crackle glaze is intentional and part of the aesthetic.

Measurements:
• Ginger jar: approx. 7.25” tall with lid
• Vase: approx. 7” tall, 5” wide

Kutani porcelain has been prized since the Edo period for its bold overglaze enamels and finely detailed decoration. The Sanford import line represented the continuation of this tradition in the mid-20th century, with pieces designed to appeal both to collectors and to the growing interest in Asian-inspired interior décor. The crackle glaze, peacock, and pheasant motifs symbolize prosperity, longevity, and beauty.

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