Pair Meiji 19th C Arita Imari Chawan Lidded Bowls

A pair of colorful and finely-painted antique Japanese porcelain bowl with brocade pattern paintings with much hand work. Each of the identical medium-sized deep bowls are decorated on the outside by a patchwork of brocade fabric designs using iron red, green, and gold enamels. Three panels have a shi shi (shisha) dogs that resemble a cross between a dog and a dragon. The designs are richly adorned with gilding. The lids have the same designs. On the inside of both the bowls and lids are a central medallion with a florid border, a fabric border at the rim and a double ring between the other two borders. These are painted with a medium blue cobalt underglaze Underglaze cobalt has also been used as a border at the bases of the bowls, and around the foot ring on both the bowls and lids. The feet on both the lids and bowls are unglazed. There is grit from the kiln on the edge of the feet on the bowls; less so on the lids. The bases are glazed. The lids have a four cha