Shimazu Satsumaware Belt Buckle

This is my first ever piece of Satsumaware. It was the gold that caught my attention, but my goodness, what artistry!

Satsumaware refers to pottery that originates from the Satsuma region in northern Japan. Original Satsumaware originates in the late 15th century, but it differed from the beautifully ornate examples that are so sought-after today. Early Satsuma (or Ko-Satsuma) was made of dark clay and were far more subtle, in decoration. The elaborately-decorated enamelled pieces for which Satsuma is known only began to gain popularity in the 19th century. Interestingly enough, there was no interest for Satsumaware in Japan. It was created strictly as an export to the newly-discovered Western markets and was decorated accordingly, with traditional Japanese scenes and motifs. The decline in popularity of these beautiful pieces is ultimately attributed to simple greed. Throughout the 19th century, Satsumaware popularity was gaining momentum. It was near the middle of the 1800s that Satsuma started referring to more than a geographical region - it encompassed an entire artistic motif. The success of Satsuma exports was undeniable - it seemed that Western appetites were not to be satiated. However, with the increased demand came the need for faster production. Shops started popping up all over Japan who were responsible for constructing blanks before sending them off to be painted. Several specialty galleries still existed, which specialized in high-quality pieces, but that wasn't enough to curb the vast quantities of sub-par reproductions that were flooding American markets. As a result, by the turn of the century, Satsuma had fallen out of favour with the English-speaking masses, largely criticized for the shabby quality of the new imports.

The most valued Satsumaware pieces were created by the Shimazu Family/Clan. They are largely considered 'true' Satsumaware and the origins of this beautiful art form. The Shimazu crest is a red cross with a circle and was always painted onto the piece, along with more information referring to the artist and origins. However, by the mid-19th century, the increased demand meant that some of the care that was once displayed in Shimazu pieces was replaced with more time-efficient production methods. For example, this belt buckle: The crest is plainly visible on the reverse, but it's a stamp as opposed to paint. We can use this stamp to date our piece, fairly accurately. Once mass-manufacturing began, the Shimazu crest was stamped on, by machine. As such, it was very apparent when the piece was made on an assembly line. Pieces created in between the hand-painted crests and the machine-stamped crests only spans a decade, or so. As such, we can accurately date this piece to around the turn-of-the-century. Machine-made, late-19th century pieces were painted by hand, but not with much detail or care. The detail on this piece is just staggering. You can zoom into the pictures to see, but with a loupe, it is apparent that every single brush stroke was one of skill and patience. Even the eyebrows are beautiful! And although I daren't test it, I'm sure the paint is gold, as well.

The buckle portion tested positive for between 10kt and 14kt gold and has aged beautifully. The patina on the reverse is pronounced and quite handsome. The enamelled and painted surface is... well... STUNNING. Such immense care went into the painting that I can scarcely believe the detail they achieved. It's simply beautiful.

Should you have any questions or comments, I'm always happy to return messages by the end of the day.

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