Phoenix Ware (鳳凰器)
Phoenix Ware is defined by a transferprint pattern that most commonly includes images of ho-o birds, karakusa tendrils, and paulownia (kiri) and chrysanthemum (kiku) flowers, along with one of several stylized rim designs (Dower 1971:52, 68-69; Oats 1984:18). Although the mythological ho-o bird is Chinese in origin, it came to symbolize imperial authority in Japan and is often combined with other imperial symbols like the paulownia flower and the chrysanthemum (Jahn 2004:343; Walter 2012:125, 129). This pattern was very popular on exports from the early 1910s until the 1930s and primarily appears on Western-style forms (Van Patten 1994:60). Despite is primacy as an export ware, Phoenix Ware designs have been found at Japanese American and Japanese Canadian archaeological sites (Costello et al. 2001:33; Ross 2012:18). Also see Ho-o Bird (鳳凰).
Top of Ho-o Zara (Phoenix Ware dish/plate)
Item Record