The Ceramic Art of Japan. Hugo Münsterberg

      1 On Collecting Japanese Ceramics

      COLLECTING is a passion as old as mankind. The cave men of the Paleolithic period collected beautiful stones and shells, and their Neolithic descendants made magnificent pottery vessels not only for use but no doubt also for enjoyment. Pride of ownership, delight in the beauty of form and design, the economic value of fine works of art—all these factors were probably as important in those ancient times as they are today. Coming from a family of collectors who could never resist acquiring still another beautiful object, whether it was a Chinese bronze, a Japanese teapot, a Persian carpet, or a fine piece of old furniture, the author can well understand this passion, and it was with secret satisfaction that he heard about a collector of Chinese ceramics who stayed in Berlin during the persecution and bombing rather than part with his beloved collection; and another collector, also from Berlin, who starved during the terrible postwar years rather than sell any of his priceless treasures. Such is the joy of collecting for those who love beautiful objects.

      There have been many collectors of Japanese ceramics, and today, with an evergrowing interest in Japan, there are no doubt many others who would like to start collecting. For these people, the question arises as to what type of collection they should form: a question that must, of course, be determined by individual taste. Some people will be content to buy, more or less at random, a few objects that happen to appeal to them, but for those who want to form a significant collection, there is one general observation that can be made, and this is that it is best to concentrate on some particular aspect or type of ceramics. Some collectors, their interest awakened by a study of the tea ceremony (cha-no-yu), may collect nothing but tea utensils or perhaps concentrate entirely on tea bowls, as is not at all uncommon in Japan, where pieces connected with cha-no-yu are particularly prized and in consequence often bring incredible sums. This specialization may be carried even further; for example, there are collectors who are interested in only a certain kind of tea bowl, such as Raku, and who try to get works by all the members of the Raku family. Naturally, this type of collecting is not only difficult but also next to impossible outside of Japan. Other collectors may have no interest in tea things at all, but prefer instead the crude and simple wares of the folk potters. This field offers excellent opportunities for the collector of modest means, since true masterpieces of folk pottery can be bought for very little, and a wealth of marvelous pots, still being made today, are readily available. Here again, the collector who wishes to limit himself to just one type of folk pottery has ample opportunity to do so, for one can form outstanding collections of the works of one particular kiln, such as Tamba or Onda, or one type of folk pottery, such as oil plates.

      During the early years of Western contact with Japan, the most popular of the Japanese ceramics was porcelain, which, especially during the late seventeenth and the eighteenth century, was highly esteemed. Not only porcelain in general was collected, but also special kinds of porcelain such as Imari ware, Kakiemon, Nabe-shima, or Kutani as well as porcelain figures that to the Rococo connoisseur had a special attraction because of their exotic flavor. If the refinement and elegance of Japanese porcelains appealed to the age of Louis XV, many modern collectors, influenced by the contemporary interest in abstract and primitive art, have been drawn to the prehistoric pottery of Japan. The grave figures of the ancient tumuli known as haniwa and, more recently, the idols and jars of the Jomon period, are enjoying a tremendous popularity both in Japan itself and in America. In fact there are prominent collectors in both countries who collect nothing but these fascinating remnants of the earliest phase of Japanese civilization. However, since so many imitations have appeared on the market in recent years and since even the genuine pieces are almost invariably restored, it is a risky as well as a very expensive field.

      A phase that so far has been ignored by most Western collectors is that of contemporary Japanese ceramics. Certainly the Japanese potters are among the most outstanding in the world today, and by buying the productions of men like Hamada, Kawai, Rosanjin, and Tomimoto, preferably direct from the artist out of his own studio, one is assured of getting not only the best quality but also genuine pieces. If one undertakes to collect the famous potters of the past such as Ninsei or Kenzan, as many Japanese and Western collectors have done, the dangers are great, for the majority of works bearing their seal or signature (some Japanese critics would say at least ninety percent) are school pieces or outright forgeries, since most of the really good genuine works are either in museums or private collections and hardly ever come on the market.

      For a museum that wishes to form a representative collection, the best procedure would naturally be to try to get a few choice pieces from each period and type, ranging all the way from Jomon to modern and from the coarse peasant ware of Hongo to the refined porcelains of Arita. If this seems too ambitious an undertaking, one could limit oneself to a particular period or some particular region or kiln such as the wares of the Kyoto area or the Karatsu ovens. For study purposes this type of highly specialized collection is of course the best, and local Japanese museums like those at Arita, which are restricted to the porcelains of that area, the one at Okayama, which specializes in Bizen ware, or the one at Seto, which has nothing but Seto ware, are very valuable for the scholar who wishes to gain a clear picture of the history of a particular kiln.

      In forming such a collection it is of greatest importance to buy wisely and with care. Naturally it is very difficult to advise someone on where and when to buy, especially if one does not know what means the collector has at his disposal and whether he is buying in America or in Japan. However, if the collector has little knowledge of the subject and no experience, the safest practice is to buy from an established and recognized dealer. A firm that has been handling Oriental ceramics for many years, sometimes even many generations, will not knowingly sell any forgeries or badly damaged pieces, if only to preserve the reputation of the establishment. Of course even the most reliable and conscientious of dealers make mistakes, but they will usually be happy to exchange the object in question if it proves to be a forgery. It might also be argued that it would be wise, at least initially, to do business with one dealer only—a dealer who, in order to keep his customer and encourage him in his pursuit, will try to locate new pieces for the collector and give him a good buy if he can do so without any loss to himself.

      For those who have limited funds and are therefore anxious to save money, going to secondhand