Japan vase from Empress Shoken to Julia Grant. 1878 One of the forbidden gifts

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Japan vase from Empress Shoken to Julia Grant. 1878 One of the forbidden gifts:
$200000.00

The Aesthetic Movement, with its importance on things Asian, was in full evidence in Julia Grant's decorating. The book noted that the curtains in the parlor windows "are beautiful specimens of Japanese embroidery...and Mrs. Grant purchased in India the fine rug that adorns the floor." An embroidered screen was a present from the citizens of Tokyo. Two intricately carved teakwood cabinets, also from Japan, held the Grants' collection of porcelains collected during their travels through Asia. Other gifts displayed in the parlor were a pair of carved elephant tusks from the Maharajah of Jehore and a silver cabinet in the form of a temple from the Maharajah of Decca. Of that unique pieceArtistic Houses said "Perhaps nothing like it has ever been displayed in a private house in this country."
The above is from an article titled " The lost U.S. Grant House -3 east 66th street."The Grants were a victims of a pyramid scheme ran by Ferdinand ward. The Bernie Madoff of the 1800,s. After Grant died Julia Grant saleed of much property and went to live in California with her son.Why are these vases important? Why spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to have a vase designed? Why put gold and pearls on a flower vase. The Japanese vases were designed to look as good or better than the flowers they grew to put in them. The Japanese designed their countryside with flowers. These vases are as festive and delicately made as the Japanese gardens.
I purchased the vase at the estate sale. I purchased the vase because they told me it was owned by Julia Grant along with the table. The only proof that Julia Grant received gifts from Japan comes from Julia grants memoirs. It was dangerous and illegal for Julia Grant to have gifts. Women's property act in 1848 and in 1860. Women did not own their own children until late 1800 early 1900. The grants went on a world tour for 2 years that began in 1877 and ended in on 9/20/1879. It is obvious that General Grant accepted the gifts on her behalf because of the Foreign leaders that they came from. Mrs. Grant speaks of the vases from the emperor of Japan and China in her memoirs. To her these gifts were symbols of freedom which other women in the country did not have. Unmarried women had no rights in this country during the 1800's. A women traveling to Japan on her own was impossible. I included the pages from Julia grants book. Some of the gifts Julia Grant received are in the New York museum, the Smithsonian institute, and havenhurst cottage. This is a very ornate, colorful, and vivid vase. The garments on the figures on the vase are etched so you can feel the embroidery on the official garments. The veins on the petal flowers are raised as if the plants and flowers are alive. The actual walls of the vase are at least 1/2 inch thick. You will not find this vase anywhere in the world!! Anywhere! This vase was accompanied with a table from the Tokugawa family clan. Tokagawa ran the shogunate ( government of Japan) before Emperor Meiji bargained with Tokagawa to reform Japan. The table is not included!!! There is so much history and theater with this vase. The Shogunate ended in 1878 where a new government was established by Meiji. Julia Davis is pictured with the brother of the last Samurai (Saigo Takamori), Saigo Judo. Empress Shokei had risen to a position Japan no other women in Japan had risen to. The vase displays a shogunate official with the Japanese royal seal crafted on the vase. The vase represents Japanese art more than 300-600 years old. This vase was owned by two key figures in world history. The art on the vases is the type from the edo period of Japan. The colors reflect the only colors used in Japan in the edo period. The art is called ukiyo-e painting. There are only 6 official colors used in the painting of the vase. Only officials wore caps. The colors on the shogunate officials are those of the kinjiki; forofferden to be used by the common people. This is a shogunate era vase, The picture of the grants is taken in tokagawa's castle. It is the imperial palace to this day. The flower is the Tokagawa clan kaman; the Hollow Hock or Mallow. I added the photo of the table that is in Julia Grants parlor in New York on 3 East 66th street taken in 1886.I found another vase that I believe was made by the same artisan. The features and details are very alike. The amount of gold is the same. The expensive vases from the fuedal period are covered in large amounts of gold as both of the vases are. The third vase I just acquired. It took years for these other two vases to surface. They look like a set. The Main vase belonged to Julia Grant. Whether she owned the other to smaller vases is a mystery. If the grants were not robbed by Ferdinand Ward and left bankrupt all the gifts she received would also be in the Smithsonian institute.
I put a lot of information in this description because many people do not know the history of Japan or its culture during the days of the shogunate. A shogunate government that no longer exists.This is not a satsuma vase. How do I know? Even the vases that come from the satsuma region are not made by the satsuma clan. The clans no longer exist. Japan never exported any products to any country prior to the arrival of the grants. Satsuma clan was not artisans. They were abolished when they rebelled against the emperor in 1877. The clan was literally destroyed by the emperor and the tokagawa clan.
Moriage designs dates back to the 17th century japan. Moriage vases use gold for a 3D effect.The age of this vase is goes back prior to 1800. It was made before the meiji era because it was made during the shogunate period (feudal Japan) before he became emperor at age 14. The vase was made before Julia Grant arrived.