Japanese Blue-and-White Porcelain Sugi-nari Chawan — Traditional Kintsugi with 24k Gold

A Japanese porcelain chawan in the sugi-nari form, decorated in blue and white in a deliberately Chinese-inspired style.

The exterior shows children at play, accompanied by butterflies and stylised plant motifs, beneath a repeating ornamental border around the rim. This imagery recalls the Chinese yingxi tu tradition — scenes of children playing that appeared frequently on blue-and-white porcelain and carried auspicious associations with descendants, prosperity and continuity of the family line.

The butterflies reinforce this light, auspicious vocabulary. Rather than reproducing a specific Chinese model, the bowl combines these inherited motifs within a Japanese porcelain form.

The restoration was carried out according to the traditional kintsugi method using natural urushi lacquer. The single principal break was rebuilt and carefully refined through successive layers of lacquer before receiving its final 24-carat gold finish.

The simplicity of the fracture is particularly well suited to this piece: one uninterrupted gold line crosses the blue-and-white decoration without obscuring it, creating a clear dialogue between the original painted design and the history of the bowl.

Dimensions: Ø 11.5 × H 5.5 cm / Ø 4.5 × H 2.2 in
Form: Sugi-nari
Origin: Japan
Material: Porcelain
Decoration: Chinese-inspired blue-and-white decoration with children at play, butterflies and ornamental border
Technique: Traditional kintsugi
Restoration materials: Natural urushi lacquer and 24-carat gold
One-of-a-kind piece
Certificate of authenticity included

Care: Wash gently by hand with lukewarm water. Do not soak. Do not place in a dishwasher or microwave. Avoid thermal shocks, abrasive sponges and harsh detergents.