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Subject:80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: greg Wed, Feb 25, 2015 IP: 110.174.208.184

HI, I have inherited these two vases - they are about 40 cms high. I am interested in their origin as they are quite out of keeping with the life of my grandparents from whom I received them.



Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Roger Thu, Feb 26, 2015

Japanese vase " kutani ".

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: greg Thu, Feb 26, 2015

thanks Roger, I appreciate that help

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Claus Fri, Feb 27, 2015

The mark, 石一 , is the Japanese name, Ishiichi.
Claus

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Mat Fri, Feb 27, 2015

This is not a kutani mark, but means "right". Seems that the vase was the right one of a pair. It seems to me rather to be "Kyoto Satsuma" from the first half of the 20th c.
Mat

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: greg Sat, Feb 28, 2015

Thank you for that information - it is indeed one of a pair, and also that it was bought in Australia probably as a new piece fits with the idea of the pieces being made for export

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Mat Sat, Feb 28, 2015

I overlooked the one sign, but I would think it still means "right,1", which would be vase one on the right side of a pair. But I am not a Japanese language expert...

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Bill H Sun, Mar 01, 2015

Mat is correct. The characters are 右一, meaning "right (side), one". This is a factory notation probably pertaining to the positioning of the vases in an altar or mantel setting.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: greg Mon, Mar 02, 2015

Thanks Mat and BillH - that all makes sense as I do have a pair - albeit slightly different version of the scene on each one. The other vase has no markings (maybe a dash " - "that looks like it is in pencil almost rather than gold like the one pictured )
I am assuming then these two vases were mass produced for the export market as a pair - the snow scene seems unusual to me for a Japanese vase

Subject:Re: 80 year old Japanese pottery needing identification
Posted By: Bill H Tue, Mar 03, 2015

This genre of decorated Japanese Satsuma-type stoneware vase was mass-produced from the late Victorian period through the 1920s to satisfy the craze for them in the West. Many indeed were sold in pairs. Japanese vendors were fixtures at Western trade fairs and expositions during the early 1900's.

The scene may not show snow but fog hanging over the inland sea and adjacent island areas. However, there's plenty of snow in Japan, especially up north; i.e., the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.

Best regards,

Bill H.


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