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Antique Japanese Pottery: Collecting the Pre-ceramic Ancient Past

Age, naturally, plays a factor in the value of any Japanese antiques to collectors. More than that however, there are multiple questions regarding the quality, past owners, aesthetic beauty, and so on that can also influence the ‘prestige’ in which a given item of antique Japanese pottery is held.

Surprising as it might be, just because some antique Japanese vases or other earthenware hail from a period that pre-dates ceramic, it does not mean that they lack in beauty. Admittedly, the oldest pieces that go all the way back to the Neolithic times may have been crude, but as time passed, the art of potters in Japan grew by leaps and bounds.

Periods of Antique Japanese Pottery Before Ceramics

Right after the Neolithic, in the Mesolithic, it was the time of the Jomon pottery period. Named after its very recognizable coil-made clay structure, the Jomon antique Japanese pottery items gradually incorporated more artistic elements into their designs.

For about 10,000 years, the Jomon period continued to make steady progress in terms of the antique Japanese vases and other Japanese antiques that were produced.

Eventually, the Jomon culture itself was displaced by the Yayoi, which brought with it entirely new advances in style, patterning, design, and even manufacture. Notably, they used the potters wheel instead of just making each piece by hand.

Most of the antique Japanese pottery from this period is very simple in decorative motifs. Antique Japanese vases that have patterns involving geometric designs were particularly popular, as were other Japanese antiques that had practical applications.

After some time, even the Yayoi faded away, and from there on out, South Korean potters bringing over their own advancements, as well as the steady Chinese influence, became ever more common. In short, it set the scene for the day when porcelain would eventually be discovered by one of the Korean potters in Japan.

Due to the relative rarity and age of the old (non-porcelain) antique Japanese pottery pieces, they normally tend to be pretty valuable. Even the not so aesthetically pleasing Yayoi Japanese antiques are much sought after.

If you’re a collector, you should definitely be able to identify and differentiate between these pieces, and their more modern counterparts. After all, due to their value, if you ever stumble across antique Japanese vases or other earthenware that hails from the Yayoi or Jomon periods, you’ll want to grab it up immediately.

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By checking out a selection of Japanese antiques, you’ll be able to visibly note the differences in age and type, and slowly grow more accustomed to spotting out the true gems that can be overlooked at times. As far as antique Japanese vases are concerned, check out the link to find out more and open up greater options for your collection.

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