Edo Period Imari Barber's Bowl – Central Scene

Japanese porcelain barber’s bowl, c. 1700.
 
Dimensions: Approximately 10¾” diameter.
 
Decoration:
The border is decorated with flower sprays, leaves and what appear to be waves or clouds. 
 
There are two holes in the rim intended for a cord for hanging.
 
The center is decorated with a scene of mountains, rocks, water, and small structures, and incorporates pine, bamboo and flowering plum trees—the traditional “Three Friends of Winter” (sho-chiku-bai) motif. 
 
From the sides. opposing iron-red ornamental bands each reserved with a chrysanthemum partially overlay the landscape.
 
The reverse is decorated with floral sprays. 
 
The base is unmarked and has kiln spurs.
 
This palette is known as five-color Imari, underglaze blue with some combination of red, green, purple, light blue, flesh, brown, black, or yellow enamels, and gilding.
 
These barber’s bowls are called “Higezara”, which comes from two Japanese words: "Hige" meaning "beard or mustache and "Zara" or "sara" meaning "plate". 
 
The barber's bowl, or shaving basin, originated as a European form associated with barbers and barber-surgeons. They uniquely have a semi-circular cut out in their rims to allow the bowl to be fitted to the patron’s neck.
 
Although originally of copper or tin, by the early 17th century, they were being produced in tin-glazed earthenware, particularly in English and Dutch Delftware. 
 
By the second half of the 17th century, the form was reproduced in porcelain in both China and Japan for export to European markets. 
 
In addition to the cut outs, the bowls usually are pierced with two holes to allow a string to pass through either to hang for storage or, perhaps, to hold the bowl around the patron’s neck. In Delft and Chinese examples, the holes are typically through the footrim. In Japanese examples the holes are through the rim.
 
Unlike their European and Chinese counterparts, where the semi-circular cut out appears large enough to be functional, Japanese example have a relatively small cutout suggesting that Japanese potters were reproducing a European shape without understanding its function.
 
References:
Gansu Provincial Museum ed., in “Imari, Japanese Porcelain of the Edo Period Exported to Europe”.
Impey, “Japanese Export Porcelain”.
Jorg, “Fine & Curious, Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections”.
P.L.J. Arts, “Japanese Porcelain”.
Reichel, “Early Japanese Porcelain”.
Shimura, “The History of Imari, The Symbols and Mysteries of Antique Japanese Porcelain”.
New Orleans Museum of Art, “Imari, Japanese Porcelain for European Palaces”.
The Kyushu Ceramic Museum, “Complete Catalog of Shibata Collection”.
 
Condition: In excellent condition consistent with age and usage. Please examine the photos; they are part of the description.