Fine Hirado 18th C koro with willow trees, pagoda and landscape

  
A superb and very rare cylindrical Hirado incense burner (koro) on three feet, decorated in underglaze blue with a wonderful continuous landscape featuring willow trees, a pagoda, pavillions and pine. Height 6cm, Diameter 7.6cm. This cylindrical censer dates to the 18th century and comparable pieces are to be found in Louis Lawrence's book Hirado: Prince of Porcelains, plates 35 & 36; The Philadelphia Museum of Art; Toshio Noda, Hizen Hirado yaki Dokohon, plate 48; Toshio Noda Mikawa no ko-Hirado yaki, plates 103, 104, 105 & 106. Interestingly the koro in Prince of Porcelains, plates 35 & 36 has the same unglazed circel to the base along with the same shape and size. It is likely taken from the same mould. The same may well apply to the example in Philadelphia, though I have not had sight of the underside and presume their measurement includes the cover.