Edo period (1615-1868), Tempo era (1830-1844), with six-character mark on bottom reading 本朝天保年製, porcelain with underglaze blue, Arita ware, circular dish with press molded relief design of a map of Japan, as drawn in the Edo period, showing the main islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, divided into the 63 provinces with the names of the provinces written in kanji, the main islands of Japan are surrounded by several islands, some imaginary, the ground is decorated with a rolling pattern of octopus vine scrolls, more fanciful scroll patterns with flaming pearls encircle the exterior sides, underside with five kiln spur marks and Tempo era mark.

2 5/8 in., 19 1/8 in. diameter

A similar map plate with same octopus vine scrolls is in the collection of the National Museum of Asian Art, 1996.4.

Very good estate condition; a few glaze slips to the rim.

$1,000 - 2,000