Kitsch Kutani Bowl Portraying Sword Forging

[Bazza]

I bought this bowl simply because of the sword forging theme.  I'm guessing its the Fox Goddess on the left, the smith at work, and a priest or noble on the right.  The bowl is 22cm across and 8cm high.  I guess the mark reads KUTANI SEI.  Now, Japanese ceramic marks are their own form of hell (as someone once commented about Japanese names!) and a reasonably exhaustive search of Gotheborg amongst others did not reveal this particular mark.  I present it here for general interest, although my wife say it is one of the fugliest things she has ever seen...

 

Bestests,

BaZZa.

 

 

[John A Stuart]

The  mark is Kutani 九谷 and the last maybe Sei 製 and may be short for 九谷井出製 Kutani Ide Sei. John

[Brian]

Buying this is a no-brainer. When your wife wins...send it to me

[Bugyotsuji]

Disagree for once.

Love it. Send it here instead.     (For some reason I have accrued quite a bit of Kutani, this and that, and just bought another Kutani figure today. Maybe we need a Kutani thread!)

[Brian]

Then you are agreeing, not disagreeing
No-brainer = easy choice/logical choice. Not sure how the saying came about...maybe it is such a logical decision that it doesn't take any thought?

[Bugyotsuji]

No, I am disagreeing with your choice of where Bazza will be sending it.

[Baka Gaijin]

Good afternoon Chaps.,

 

I agree, it is a working upon the popular theme of  Inari Ōkami, the Fox Spirit aiding the swordsmith Munechika to forge Kogitsune maru - Little Fox.

 

It appears in the Noh play Kokaji (The Swordsmith).

 

http://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/data/program_037.html

 

http://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/photostory/ps_037.html

 

Here's a few more takes on the theme in print form:

 

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc156830

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blacksmith_Munechika,_helped_by_a_fox_spirit,_forging_the_blade_Ko-Gitsune_Maru,_by_Ogata_Gekk%C5%8D.jpg

 

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/artelino/45946g1

 

Also on a Tsuba:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?biw=1600&bih=769&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=lRxSWv3eJ8SMgAawmqagCQ&q=the+swordsmith+munechika+forging+little+fox+kuniyoshi&oq=the+swordsmith+munechika+forging+little+fox+kuniyoshi&gs_l=psy-ab.3...170673.174775.0.175414.10.10.0.0.0.0.141.747.8j2.10.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.6_F4vt8pVM8#imgrc=TkJdPSIMwT7xTM:

 

Here, on a Koh Bako Incense Box (However the Met erroneous names the swordsmith Kokaji and miss the link to Munechika):

 

https://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/58339

[Bugyotsuji]

Interesting that the fox on her head expresses her true nature. Much like the Maedate on a kabuto.

 

In Japanese elementary schools today the characters in school fable/plays are often shown by the paper headband and animal head each wears, frog, rabbit, etc.

http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/uploaded/image/368041.JPG