Antique Japanese Seto Ware Umanome Horse Eye Stoneware

DescriptionThis Japanese stoneware dish is an origianl example of Seto ware, one of Japan’s most important and enduring ceramic traditions. The Seto kilns, located in present-day Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, are among the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan (Rokkoyō) and have been in continuous operation since at least the 13th century. Unlike many regional kilns that specialized in a single style, Seto developed a remarkably diverse body of wares, producing everything from utilitarian household vessels to refined tea ceramics.Seto ware is particularly known for its early adoption of ash and iron glazes, its responsiveness to natural firing effects, and its close relationship to daily life. During the Edo period, the Seto kilns were a major supplier of practical stoneware used throughout Japan, creating durable and aesthetically restrained vessels intended for everyday use rather than elite patronage.This dish features the classic Umanome (Horse Eye) motif, formed when iron-rich slip beneath the glaze reveals circular markings during firing. Each “eye” emerges organically, making every piece unique. Wares of this type were historically referred to as Ishizara, a term broadly describing Seto stoneware, with early written references appearing in the Mino Taihei Monjo of circa 1618.Age: Edo period 1603 – 1868 Circa early 1800’sDimensions: 10 3/4″ diameter