Collection: Hibiki Arita and Kutani Porcelain Decanters

Which details must be distinguished first for Hibiki Arita and Kutani porcelain decanters?

First confirm Hibiki 21 Year Old or 35 Year Old, release year, Arita or Kutani porcelain, official work name, kiln or artist, volume, ABV and base marks. Box inscriptions, certificates and market nicknames support identification but do not replace the item markings.

Can Hibiki 21 Year Old and Hibiki 35 Year Old porcelain decanters be catalogued as one series?

No. Suntory’s official Hibiki and Japanese Culture details list Hibiki 21 Year Old special bottles by year from 2001 to 2014. Arita and Kutani works, work composition and volume must be checked individually; do not label the entire period 600ml or assume a paired release every year. Hibiki 35 Year Old must be checked against its own release year and formal work.

Which chips, cracks and enamel details should be photographed on a porcelain decanter?

Photograph the mouth, neck, shoulder, body, foot ring and base, then use side light for chips, hairline cracks, possible crazing, glaze scratches, enamel wear, overpainting, glaze repair and adhesive repairs. Do not clean or repair the item first.

How should the wooden box, stand, cloth, closure and base marks be matched?

Use one clear label per bottle. Apply it to photographs of the box inscription, signature inside the lid, stand, cloth, booklet, certificate, stopper, closure and base marks. List anything with an unverified pairing separately as “still to be checked”.