19th century

,
Edo period

Stoneware with lead enamel glazes
H: 15.1 W: 7.9 cm
Kyoto, Japan

Gift of Charles Lang Freer F1903.277

The formal metaphor for this sake bottle is "the first dream of the New Year," which, in order to be considered extremely lucky, must include three objects: first, Mt. Fuji; second, a falcon; third, an eggplant. In this mold-formed vessel - quite suitable for pouring a toast at the end of the old year - the bottle itself is shaped as an eggplant, Mt. Fuji appears as a decoration on the side of the bottle, and "Taka" is the character in the seal placed appropriately to the left of the mountain image.