Antique Meiji Period Japanese Kyo-Satsuma Ceramic Scent Bottle with Flying Swallows

Late 19th to early 20th-century Japanese Kyo-Satsuma earthenware scent bottle. This spherical vanity flacon showcases a classic, finely crazed ivory ground, intricately hand-painted with a lively scene of swallows sweeping through delicate bamboo leaves.

The birds are rendered using moriage overglaze work, a traditional Japanese ceramic decorating technique where liquid clay or enamel is built up or piped onto a piece to create a three-dimensional, textured relief to the artwork. The bottle is topped with a heavy, aged metallic cap.

2"L x 2"W x 2.25"H