Art Interpreting Japan Porcelain Marks

[CalixBooks]

Hello All, thanks for your help on the iron kettle, I still have it! I found a couple of other items, including a book on Japanese porcelain written and published in Japan (In English) by Hazel M. Gorham entitled "Japanese and Oriental Pottery" (also includes ceramics). Ms. Gorham was assisted by Mr. Masando Ono, Mr. Atsuharu Sakai, and Mr. Shoshun Otake. Printed by Yamagata Printing, Yokohama. A great reference as it reads like a story with plenty of Japan history on the origins of pottery and ceramics.

My recent acquisitions, here in Massachusetts include some very interesting miniature Kutani items. Here is one that I have NOT been able to find so, if anyone can help. That would be greatly appreciated!

It is only about 3 inches tall and is so finely detailed that single hair brushes must have been used to make the images. It has both under the glaze images as well as on top of the glaze images. Red, black, pink, gold, green with highlights in grays, blacks and browns.

Here are some images of the Vase itself. It is also semi transparent. Very nice and I have to say, an art form I had no idea was this good!

Here is the image of the War Lord

and one more!

 

[Majestic]

九谷 Kutani
鏑木 Kaburaki

It's a kiln/potter/brand that is still in existence.

鏑木商舗 | 鏑木商舗

創業文政五年。九谷焼窯元「鏑木商舗」の公式サイトです。金沢長町武家屋敷で国宝作家の作品から普段使いの器まで幅広く扱っています。「味のある、よい九谷焼」を全国の皆様にお届けしております。

kaburaki.jp

 

[CalixBooks]

Thanks for the link but I'm unable to get through to them via email to ask which generation it came from.

 

[mdchachi]

Did you try their contact form?

お問い合わせ | 鏑木商舗

kaburaki.jp

 

[CalixBooks]

I did and it doesn't go through. I tried it several times. The only other option they allow is a phone call.

 

[CalixBooks]

Kutani
Kaburaki

It's a kiln/potter/brand that is still in existence.

鏑木商舗 | 鏑木商舗

創業文政五年。九谷焼窯元「鏑木商舗」の公式サイトです。金沢長町武家屋敷で国宝作家の作品から普段使いの器まで幅広く扱っています。「味のある、よい九谷焼」を全国の皆様にお届けしております。

kaburaki.jp

Is there any other site that can help with not just the name but the seal surrounding it? Thanks, Richard

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

They do have a FAX number that you could use. The museum FAX is 076-221-4252

 

[CalixBooks]

Hey thanks! I tried the email and I couldn't get it to work. Maybe it only takes emails from Japan?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude for posting your question. Because of you, I downloaded the catalog from the website, and although it took a very long time to load, it was without question worth the wait. That catalog is stunningly beautiful. It's also full of good information in both Japanese and English. I think I have one piece of Kutani ceramic, and I have a much greater appreciation for it now!

You can download the catalog here: 九谷焼総合カタログ(K7) 【通販サイト 九谷焼 鏑木商舗】九谷焼の伝統を金沢武家屋敷から世界へ
Just be aware that it will take a lo-o-ong time to load (as in something like 10 minutes).

Anyway, I have another link that may or may not be of use to you. It's worth a shot.

お問い合わせ

Finally, you could write them and send your question through snail mail. That way will take a while, but it's pretty much a safe bet that your question will get to them.

Good luck!

 

[CalixBooks]

Thanks, that maybe why I couldn't get anywhere on their site because my server timed out. Nothing I can do about that. I have been reading up on Kutani wares and the history of it as well. During the period before and right after the opening up of Japan, the war lords used to give the exceptional potters a 'seal' and also at times a 'name' because ordinary people did not have 'names' so to speak. The gold seal around the name on the bottom of the vase maybe from a shogun . It was given to the family and the family were able to use the seal only on items that the war lord approved. This is from a Japanese book on ceramics written in the 1950's by Hazel Gorham. She also did a book on 'flower arranging' as well. The book was printed in Japan and she was assisted by several Japanese scholars and translators.

 

[Majestic]

Kaburaki has been around since 1822, and they originally obtained their license from the governor of the Kaga Domain. So you could say that the name was sanctioned by the daimyo ("warlord" seems too strong a word here) of Kaga. Whether or not this piece dates from that time...it would require some specialized appraisal skills to ascertain that, but its exceptional condition leads me to think it isn't that old. Not from the 1820's, anyway.

I don't know what the scene depicts, but often these motifs are taken from classical Japanese literature and history, and its possible it could be a scene from Heike monogatari - featuring one of the heroes of that epic; Yoshitsune or Yoritomo. Or possible it could be a scene from Genji Monogatari. In any event it seems to be a scene from Heian -era Japan, which is the era from which these classics emerge.

 

[CalixBooks]

Here's a reference I found: "
Japan: The Shaping of Daimyo Culture, 1185–1868

Edited by Yoshiaki Shimizu
Published 1988
416 pages

Japan: The Shaping of Daimyo Culture explores the culture created by warriors of medieval and modern Japan. Daimyo were feudal lords who, as leaders of powerful warrior bands, controlled the provinces of Japan from the beginning of the Kamakura period in 1185 to the end of the Edo period in 1868. This warrior class, as newly risen holders of political authority, developed cultural traditions inherited from the court. Later, the evolution of early modern culture in the Edo period resulted from the participation of both the daimyo and the merchant class.

With porcelain it is very hard to tell the age. If the porcelain is well cared for a couple of hundred years or even 50 years is very difficult to decern. What I can say about the piece is that it has had multiple firings. A very faint background or 'pink' horizon of clouds. A red glaze firing with black outlines, the trees and mountain outlines and finally the gold highlighting. So it is a piece that was not 'job shopped', meaning multiple people had a hand in its making but clearly has the hand of a very good master porcelain artist. If you find out more, let me know and I'll do the same. Cheers and thanks! Really appreciate the critique and guidance.

 

[CalixBooks]

First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude for posting your question. Because of you, I downloaded the catalog from the website, and although it took a very long time to load, it was without question worth the wait. That catalog is stunningly beautiful. It's also full of good information in both Japanese and English. I think I have one piece of Kutani ceramic, and I have a much greater appreciation for it now!

You can download the catalog here: 九谷焼総合カタログ(K7) 【通販サイト 九谷焼 鏑木商舗】九谷焼の伝統を金沢武家屋敷から世界へ
Just be aware that it will take a lo-o-ong time to load (as in something like 10 minutes).

Anyway, I have another link that may or may not be of use to you. It's worth a shot.

お問い合わせ

Finally, you could write them and send your question through snail mail. That way will take a while, but it's pretty much a safe bet that your question will get to them.

Good luck!

Thanks for the link! Very helpful but I can't download it. It is staying as an online flipchart. Do you or anyone know how to convert it to a PDF? Thanks, Richard

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I think they updated the catalog to a newer version since I originally posted that link. Unfortunately I didn't save the pdf from before. It was pretty big, though, in terms of disk space. I'm sorry, I don't know how to convert it to a pdf...unless you have a Mac and are willing to convert it one page at a time.

 

[CalixBooks]

I think they updated the catalog to a newer version since I originally posted that link. Unfortunately I didn't save the pdf from before. It was pretty big, though, in terms of disk space. I'm sorry, I don't know how to convert it to a pdf...unless you have a Mac and are willing to convert it one page at a time.

Thanks, no Mac, just a plain old computer...Cheers and thanks anyway!