Some more modern copies have the Shimazu crest, but you can tell them have been stamped or printed with a machine. This commonly used marking can mean "mountain" but is often found to be within the name of the maker, eg Gyozan or Kozan. If you see this marking, it will help you determine part of the name of the maker. The Zan marking can also be read or translated sometimes as "san" too.
Zan can also be marked in a more stylised way, such as on this marking by Gyokuzan , where the "zan" at the bottom looks very different to the normal kanji. This marking means to "make" or "manufacture" and can be found on many pieces of Satsumaware. However , due to the fact that it is quite a detailed kanji, it can sometimes be hard to identify properly. The more strokes there are in the kanji, the harder they can be to read. I can usually spot this one by remembering the design of the marks below the horizontal like at the bottom.
Sometimes, the marks at the top can be hard to identify as they are quite small and have been created by a brush. This part of the marking means "to made" or "to manufacture" but can also mean "made by" and is often the last kanji on the marking, written in the bottom left corner.
Many markings will have the "Dai Nippon" mark on the right, the name of the maker on the top left and "Zo" underneath. Reading this literally, you could say that it would mean "Made in Japan by me" with me being the name of the maker.
If the pieces are a part of a larger display set, the vases or items will often be marked using information as to where in the line-up they should appear. For example, "Right 3", meaning that the item should be the third item on the right in the display. You will find that the word left or right is followed by a japanese number. You can find a list of numbers here. Here are a few markings from images of pieces that have been sent to me via the Facebook page for this website many thanks to those that sent them in and please come and "Like" us and join in. I have also put a translation too of the makers name.
Your email address will not be published. Hello Can anyone help me identify this piece of pottery.
Check for English words first.
Each side has a different picture as shown in photos. I have also included a photo of top rim and base showing markings. Any help re origin of vase, date and or value will be much appreciated. Photo can be seen through this link. I have asked the ebay community but no replies yet. Thank you very much! It is a circle with a cross in the middle. It then has a very complicated name in Japanese. Is the circle with the cross from the Shimazu family crest? Also what would be an estimated date of production? Firstly, the mark sort of looks genuine to me but I worry that it might be a stamped or printed mark rather than hand painted.
The one thing that really makes me worry is that I have never seen an antique Satsuma incense holder before. I recently boght this pottery probably a incense holder and I would like to find out if it could be real Satsuma or not. I hope you can help. Does she have a history of decorating pottery rather than making it herself? You could try to work out the marking by constructing the Kanji here. I have a piece of pottery that was decorated by Maria Longworth Nichols in but has a red mark I believe to be Japanese… is it possible she acquired the piece from Japan?
How to Identify Satsuma Pottery
It does sound like it might be an antique. Have you considered an Satsuma Pottery Valuation Service online valuation service to see what they think?
Toyama could be the name of the maker. I am only an interested collector, so will not be able to help value or even identify your piece. I have used the valuation service Satsuma Pottery Valuation Service here before and it is pretty accurate. It is likely that these are more modern pieces. Anything with English writing on will not be antique. Hi Sage — that marking looks like the Japanese number 3. If there is no specific mark from a maker then it is likely to be a more modern copy made in the Satsuma style.
It is likely that if the mark is imprinted rather than hand-drawn it will be a more modern piece. If you have drawn a blank online, try using the online antique evaluation site we recommend. I know others here have had good results.
If there are no markings, you would have to have it properly checked. Take a look at the online antique evaluation service we recommend. I found a vase 3ft high. I have a vase and the only marking on the bottom says Satsuma and Japan, is this vase just a worthless copy? It looks like this: I have three teapots of descending sizes.
A paper label notes: The crest consists of a gold circle and a cross within it on a red background. Your image of the Shimazu crest shows the circle and cross in red not gold with no paint of any color behind them—just the pottery showing through. She was dedicated, but I have no illusions that she was perfect! My name isThomas, and I have been trying to find this out how to price my vase and I have been running into walls left and right. Could you possibly help me with this? Please and thank you. Is there such thing as Toyama satsuma?
Thank you so much for any information. You would need to have it looked at by a Satsuma Pottery Valuation Service professional antique appraiser. You would have to get it appraised to get a better idea. This sounds like a mass produced copy made in the Kutani style. Also, Kutani is Japanese, so if it is made in Hong Kong, then that is an immediate giveaway that it is not an antique. The milk jug has a clear mark on the bottom that can only be seen when you get it in the right light. All the other pieces have printed in red: The set set is a floral pattern on a gold background.
Hi Tao, Thank you for the information, I appreciate the quick response. Hello, Wanted to see if you could help identify this marking: It would mean that it is a newer piece not made in Japan, but probably a mass-produced copy in the Satsuma style. I have a small porcelain teapot with crude red circle with two gold lines with smaller circles on them as the mark on the bottom.
It is richly decorated with a boat on one side and figures on the other. Does anyone know when it may be from. It does sound like an original marking antique have you been able to find it on the Gotheborg site?
Is My Satsuma Pottery Genuine? | Satsuma Pottery
The mark on bottom missing from hole? Hi Mandy — have you checked out the online valuation service we recommend? You will probably get the answers you need there. Thanks Martin — every extra bit of information helps my visitors! You obviously have some experience in this area! I like to suggest a few improvements concerning the translations of the Kanji names under the pictures of your marks. I Try to find some similar like my but only I find one, the same hand painted but with at other depict in front. I ready in this Satsuma Moriage Vase is from but still the same question MY vase have T letter engraved, no stamp, no paint.
Hi I am trying to identify this mark from a vase. Thanks in advance Glenn. I have a flower vase w lid.. Can u help me if i send a picture of mark??? Thanks for the great references! I am still having trouble identifying this particular mark, and wondered if you could help.
Thanks for getting in touch. I have a satsuma vase that has Satsuma printed in the middle of the vase bottom in a rectangle box. It also has the number 4 in a box and the number 31 too. There is a number 91 or 16 and a number 8 under a horizontal line and to the left of a vertical line.
Kyoto Satsuma
It is very colorfyl and has raised gold beaded designs. Mark has several alternative readings for first character, and a loose translation of both is "fragrant mountain". Pattern is usually in Moriage raised enamels style.