Antique Japanese Ryosai Sumida Gaware or Satsuma Style Chocolate Pot

This is a tall, porcelain or fine earthenware chocolate pot featuring a distinct 'Flow Blue' or cobalt glaze application with heavy moriage and gilded detailing. The vessel possesses a bulbous body that tapers into a slender neck with a flared pouring lip and a decorative, scrolled handle. The base color is a pale celadon or off-white. The decoration consists of deep cobalt blue cloud-like patches heavily accented with raised gold (moriage) enameled flowers, likely chrysanthemums, and elaborate gilded scrollwork and vine motifs trailing down the body. The lid is domed with a matching cobalt and gold shell-form finial. In terms of condition, there is visible rubbing and wear to the gold gilding on the handle and edges of the spout, consistent with age and frequent handling. There is a slight patina of dust in the recessed areas of the moriage, but no significant cracks or large chips are immediately apparent. The craftsmanship indicates a late 19th-century to early 20th-century (Meiji era or early Showa) origin, specifically designed for the Western export market as evidenced by the chocolate pot form. The intricate application of the raised gold and the depth of the cobalt blue are indicators of high-quality decorative ceramic production, common in regions like Yokohama or the Satsuma workshops.