POTTERY MARK QUERY ON BASE OF JAPANESE VASES

by GAVIN

POTTERY MARK QUERY ON BASE OF JAPANESE VASES:- WE HAVE TWO VASES, ALMOST IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT VARIATION OF THE FLOWER ON THE FRONT OF VASE, ONE LEANS LEFT, ONE LEANS RIGHT. I GUESS THE IDEA IS WITH TWO ON THE MANTLEPIECE THEY WILL COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.

THEY ARE A FAMILY HEIRLOOM FROM MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WHO MIGHT HAVE AQUIRED THEM SOMETIME IN THE THIRTIES. MY FATHER CAN REMEMBER THEM ON THE MANTLEPIECE DURING THE WAR, SO THEY ARE AT LEAST PRE - WAR.

WE THOUGHT THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WEDDING PRESENT BUT SHE GOT MARRIED IN ABOUT 1910, AND AT THE TIME JAPAN WAS CALLED NIPPON, BUT THE VASES BOTH HAVE "MADE IN JAPAN" ON THE BOTTOM. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT EXPORT ITEMS FROM JAPAN BETWEEN 1910 AND THE 1920'S WERE MARKED "MADE IN JAPAN" FOR WESTERN TASTES,EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTRY WAS CALLING ITSELF NIPPON"??.

ALSO BOTH VASES HAVE A DIFFERENT MAKERS MARK / FACTORY MARK ON EACH ONE ALSO ON THE BASE. BOTH MARKS LOOK HAND PAINTED RATHER THAN STAMPED WHICH MAKES ME THINK THEY ARE A POTTERS MARK SEEING THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT MARKS ON TWO VASES WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY A PAIR.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE MARKS DON'T EVEN LOOK LIKE JAPANESSE WRITING.!!!

THE TWO VASES ARE BOTH 330 MILLIMETRES TALL.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THEM REGARDING THERE MARKINGS, STYLE, AGE, ETC, AS IT IS QUITE VEXING TO US.

GAVIN

THANKS

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Reply from Peter (admin) below - just scroll down

HOW I MADE MONEY FROM BITS & BOBS OF OLD CHINA .....more

Reply by Peter (admin)

To:- ‘POTTERY MARK QUERY ON BASE OF JAPANESE VASES’

Hi Gavin

Thanks for the great pics and interesting story about these Japanese vases.

First thing to say is, while I can give you some pointers, oriental wares are a specialist area requiring specialist knowledge.

Here's my tuppenceworth about your vases.

If the vases differ slightly = good news as they are hand-painted and the value just went up quite a lot.

The pottery marks seem to be hand painted Japanese calligraphy and, to my eye could be the same mark written by two different calligraphers, or the even the same one if they had an off-day, or were in a hurry, or their brush slipped... maybe. Only a guess.

Lastly, imports to the US had to have country of origin clearly written in English after 1890, so they could date from anytime after that.

Try gotheborg.com, they are the total specialists in oriental marks.

Good luck tracking down the provenance of your vases, Gavin. Hope your vexation is soothed soonest...

Best regards,

Peter (admin)

p.s. The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.