Key Terms: Meiji Japanese Art Silver Teapot Dragon Dragonware William T. Walters Pottery Walters Art Museum Japanese Pottery Collections OrientalQuestions: Was this strictly a decorative piece or was the teapot ever functional? How did Nobukiyo intend for the piece to be used? What prompted the addition of gold accents on the silver? How did this piece end up in the possession of William Walters? What interest did Walters have in this piece? Has the worth/value of this piece increased/decreased? Does this piece relate to any other pieces from the Meiji period? What is the significance of the dragon? Is it meant to portray the sea dragon? Why? What is the significance of the ocean waves? When created were the handle and spout conceived at a different time than the pot itself? Was this piece created for someone other than Nobukiyo?

Primary SourcesImpey, Oliver. Reflections upon the crafts of Meiji Period Japan with reference to the collection of the Ashmolean Museum. Oriental Art Vol. 42, No. 3 (Autumn 1996): 10-17.Impey, O. R., and Malcolm Fairley.The Dragon King of the Sea: Japanese Decorative Art of Meiji Period From the John R. Young Collection.Oxford, England: Ashmolean Museum, 1991Johnston, William R. "William and Henry Walters: Pioneer Collectors and Promoters of the Arts of Asia."Arts Of AsiaVol. 39, No. 1 (January 2009): 48-60.Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhostMeiji Bijutsu Ten Mokuroku =: The Arts of the Meiji Period, 1868-1912.[Tokyo]: Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan, 4319.

Select General Secondary SourcesMyers, Caren. Swords into Sculpture. Antique Collector. Vol. 65, issue 8. (Sept 1994): 48-51.Straham, Donna K.Treatment of a Silver Dragon for the Removal of Silver Cyanide and Chalconatronite. Journal of the American Institute for ConservationVol. 25, No. 2 (Autumn, 1986) pp. 73-81

Secondary Sources on Japanese Meiji Metalworking Fairley, Malcolm. Flowers of the chisel: Japanese metalwork of the Meiji and Taisho periods. (June 1997): 16- 27.Lester, Gerd. Japanese metal art in the Meiji era. Arts of Asia.Vol. 17. (Sept 01, 1987): 97-108.Masterpieces of Meiji metalwork: an exhibition of important Japanese metalwork of the Meiji period. London: Barry Davies Oriental Art. 1991.