Monumental Antique Japanese Satsuma Ceramic Koro Incense Burner

This very large and magnificent ceramic Japanese Koro from the first half of the twentieth century features a globular form body with everted neck flanked by shishi form handles, a domed cover surmounted with gilt shishi finial, three zoomorphic form feet, and is decorated with figural scenes including the emperor at court.  Measures 25 in tall and 19 in across.

Condition is good.  There is a 5 in long cruciform crack to the lower portion of the  body near one leg, professionally restored, including refilling and overpainting with foliage.  Near the repair on the interior there are two other subsequent cracks.  One is a 3 in hairline and the other is a crescent-shaped crack that encompasses most of the base diameter. The latter shows minor traces of filler. On the handles one figure has a repair and overgilding in several places with a loss to its ear.  The other figure has a repair to one of its hind legs. There are some innate firing cracks to the shishi finial and to the legs. Over time, some of the leg fissures have opened up and a few have been filled.  There is fine crazing to the glaze throughout, as to be expected.