Large 19th C. Japanese Igezara Transferware Platter

Meiji period (1868-1912) transferware platter. 
 
Dimensions: Approximately 15¾” diameter.
 
Decoration:
The rim is edged in brown.
 
The border is decorated with flowers on a diaper pattern. 
 
The center is decorated with a pair of Hoo birds, or Japanese Phoenixes, amidst leaves and flowers of a Kiri, or Paulownia tree.
 
The reverse is decorated with three sets of a pattern consisting of grape leaves and fruit.
 
The foot is encircled by three blue bands.
 
Similar examples are illustrated in Alistair Seton’s book, “Izegara, Printed China”.
 
The platter is heavily potted, weighing approximately 5 pounds, as is the case with Izegara wares.
 
"Igezara" is a term applied to heavy, durable, everyday porcelain produced in Japan from near the end of the Edo Period (mid 1800's) until early Taisho (early 1900's), although the generally accepted period for Igezara wares is 1880 – 1910. 
 
Izegara ware was produced in Arita, Saga in Kyushu, and Gifu. 
 
Unlike fine porcelain like Imari and Kutani that are hand painted. “Igezara" items are transferware, produced by transferring designs initially created on copper plates, similar to transferware produced in Staffordshire England at the beginning of the 19th century.
 
"Igezara" was mass produced for everyday use and made primarily for the Japanese market. Accordingly, it is usually thickly potted so withstand wear and tear of daily use. 
 
Most typically, the pieces have a brown edge around the rim and the rim itself has “pie crust” ridges molded into it, as does this platter.
 
The name "Igezara" comes from two Japanese words:
"Ige" means "notch or thorn" and the term refers to the pie-like indentations often found around the rim of many plates. "Zara" or "sara" means "plate" in Japanese. 
 
References: 
Seton, “Izegara, Printed China”.
 
Condition: Minor roughness to edges: otherwise in excellent condition consistent with age and usage.