Offering a Meiji-era Seto-yaki masterpiece: a catalog-registered design by Senpoen, made by Shirozaemon Ito, a 6-sun (approximately 18cm) plate with a dyed-blue dragon design. Shirozaemon Ito was active from the early Meiji era to the early Showa era, spanning two generations. He operated a dyed-blue kiln in the Minami-Shintani district of Seto (present-day Kaminokiri-cho and Akiba-cho) from January 1878, primarily producing porcelain tableware for domestic consumption. Under the name Senpoen, his works were highly regarded for their quality. It was written that "Since its establishment, the products have been meticulously prepared, and they have always strived for the careful selection of materials and glazes, resulting in superior goods that cannot be imitated by others." It was also noted that "Senpoen's Nara tea bowls and plates are known to all for their exquisite craftsmanship and reliability." Furthermore, he received high praise, being described as "diligently working on improving the quality of the clay and glaze, and paying attention to design, Senpoen has a particularly high reputation in the production of domestic products. The twisted plates with auspicious patterns are examples of their fine quality." The most notable feature of Senpoen is the delicacy of its dyed-blue work. They were particular about hand-painted designs, and the patterns rarely featured the typical flower and bird motifs often seen in Seto dyed-blue ware. Instead, they often depicted stylized patterns, using materials like chromium oxide and shiroko (white pigment) in addition to cobalt blue. They did not employ techniques like copperplate transfer printing. Looking at this piece, it is similar to the design of the dyed-blue dragon pattern shown in the last photo. The dragon design in dyed-blue, along with the geometric patterns, immediately reveals the superb brushwork. Also, in a less noticeable area, the dragon design in the center is a perfectly executed painting within a 6.5cm square. The dynamic and energetic depiction of the dragon's undulations truly embodies the phrase "superior goods that cannot be imitated by others." The Senpoen factory had connections with important figures in Japanese ceramics history. Toshimo Kato, who later became a Living National Treasure, worked as a painter there, and the factory was used as the Yamachagama (Tsubakigama) kiln, founded in Seto by Shinobu Komori. The Senpoen factory, managed by Shirozaemon for two generations, ceased operations in April 1928 when it was used as the Yamachagama kiln mentioned above. However, records of his activities, such as applying for a commercial law backstamp registration in 1935 and being appointed as a commissioner for the Pan-Pacific Exposition in 1936, show that the connection remained, but activities ceased in 1942. The level of the dyed-blue work is outstanding. As a master of the Meiji era, his works are displayed in the Seto-gura Museum in Seto City and the Yokoyama Museum of Art in Nagoya. Thank you for your interest. Dimensions: 18cm diameter x 2.5cm height. No cracks or chips; in like-new condition. The last two photos show works by Shirozaemon Ito displayed in museums. This piece is of museum quality.