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I am seeking information on a vintage Japanese cup (Dimensions: 3” tall x 2 ¾” wide) that is marked with a "double gourd" cipher on the bottom. I have seen the double gourd on prints, and on Chinese porcelain statuary by He Chaozong in the tradition of the Dehua Kilns, Fujian.

Any assistance that you can provide is greatly appreciated. All information that provided is solely for personal use (no monetary gain).

A few things that strike me about the work include:

Motif: Kuzuya (hermit huts?) in a forest on one face. I am uncertain whether the “scene” is carved, molded, or sprigging

Obverse outside: Irregularly placed indentations, thinly covered with reddish-brown glaze over stoneware.

Interior walls: Pressed textile/fabric pattern on the interior of the cup. This is possibly from wet cloth covering an anvil (concave block) used to support the walls of the cup, from the interior, while working on the exterior

Foot ring: crimped, and applied to the previously formed cup. The crimping is too uniform for this to be representative of a bamboo root foot ring. It could well be defined as “coggling” or pie crust

Cipher: Bears an impressed “Double Gourd” cipher (stamp, mark, seal, cartouche).

Again, I deeply appreciate any insights you might have, or directions in which you can point me.

Cordially,

Bob

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