Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/277

 the Hachiroemon kiln, dating from 1840. With regard to the first, it varied in quality from dense, somewhat coarse pâte—almost stone-ware—to thin and fine, but soft porcelain. The decoration bore a close resemblance to that of Arita enamelled ware, but there were less massing of colours and a freer use of scroll patterns and diapers in principal positions: gold was sparsely employed, and the general effect was subdued. With regard to the second, the revived Ko-Kutani, its pâte was soft, heavy stone-ware, having a dull timbre. The glazes, green, purple, blue, and yellow, were lustrous and pure, but not so rich as those of the old Ao-Kutani. Finally, the fashion of running these glazes over designs—diapers, arabesques, floral scrolls, and sometimes landscapes—traced in black, was eminently characteristic of the time. Specimens of this middle-period Ao-Kutani are tolerably easy to procure. They do duty with bric-à-brac vendors for "Old Kutani," from which, however, they are readily distinguishable by the greater softness of their pâte, the inferior richness of their enamels, the greyish tone of their glaze, and the comparatively thin, crude appearance of their red pigment. With regard to the third variety—the Hachiroe ware—it was of two kinds, porcelain and faience. The distinguishing feature of its decoration was the free use of red and gold. In some part of the design red was nearly always employed as a ground for floral scrolls or conventional patterns in gold. The faience, or semi-stone ware, of this period was covered with an opaque glaze of warm, ivory-like tint, and soft, grey appearance, showing accidental crackle. No similar glaze is to be found on any other ware of Japan. The decoration was more florid and elaborate than anything seen on