Antique SIGNED Tamura Japanese Cloisonne Vase Orchid & Dogwood circa 1920

  

Antique SIGNED Tamura Turquoise Japanese Cloisonne Vase Orchid & Dogwood circa 1920, this vase is approx. 6 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide and has a silver ring at the top and bottom.

If your like me I thought these were made of Porcelain but as a customer pointed out Cloisonne is not porcelain, Its actually an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally made of GOLD and this is part of the reason the price on these are not cheap but also its a very hard art form that takes some time to do. In recent centuries vitreous enamel has been used, but inlays of cut gemstones, glass and other materials were also used during older periods, the decorations is formed by first adding compartments to the metal object by soldering or affixing silver or gold as wires or thin strips placed on their edges. These remain visible in the finished piece, separating the different compartments of the enamel or inlays, which are often of several colors. Cloisonne enamel objects are worked on with enamel powder made into a paste, which then needs to be fired in a kiln. See there is a long drawn out process in making a Cloisonne vase.

These are very beautiful and complicated works of art full of gold, silver, colored glass and gemstones making it a very valuable and highly collectible pieces of art. THIS VASE IS STAMPED TUMURA AND ALSO HAS THE LOGO.