A LARGE JAPANESE ARITA BLUE AND WHITE BALUSTER VASE AND COVER LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY The bulbous body decorated to the neck and shoulder with a shaped band of lotus, scrolling tendrils and reishi heads, with another band of formal designs above the foot, the cover with further scrolling lotus and topped with a fierce-looking shishi crouching on rockwork, 84cm overall. (2) Cf. O Impey, Japanese export porcelain, Catalogue of the collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, p.119 no.151, for another Arita vase with comparable decoration. Impey also explains that large areas of the body were left white to be later covered with lacquer decoration.