Pair of Vintage Japanese Ginbari Cloisonné Vases. Both forms feature rich pigeon-blood red (akasuke) translucent enamel over a textured foil background adorned with blossoming plum branches, in similar but different designs. Unmarked but enameled bottoms. 

Size: 4 1/2 x 8 in. 

Cloisonné is an ancient decorative technique for metalwork in which compartments (“cloisons”) are formed using thin metal wires or strips, usually of gold or silver, and then filled with colored material to create patterned designs. In later periods, vitreous enamel became the primary filling material, applied as a paste and fired in a kiln, though earlier examples also used inlays of gemstone or glass cut to fit each cell. The technique dates back to at least 3rd millennium BC Mesopotamia, where it was used to secure stones in jewelry and ceremonial objects, and was later adapted into enamelwork as a more accessible alternative. It was refined in the Byzantine Empire into highly intricate enamel icons and later spread to China, where it was applied to larger objects such as vases and bowls, becoming especially prominent in the cloisonné tradition still associated with Chinese craftsmanship today. The technique also reached Russia and Japan, while in Europe it was gradually replaced by other enamel methods but continued to influence decorative arts and later Western revivals inspired by Chinese styles.

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