Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries

Hi, this vase just came into my hands. Do not know anything about its origin, except that it belonged to my great-grandmother. I'm not even sure if it's really Japanese.

Is it Satsuma by any chance? What period? Can someone please translate the characters on the bottom? Many thanks.

Hi Joaquin,

It's Japanese indeed and Satsuma-like ware.
I can't help you with the first character for the moment but others probably can. Second reads: zan and third: tsukuru.
It dates from the Meiji period.

Regards,

Arjan

Thank you Arjan,

I'm now baffled, a Japanese person from work just informed me that the characters read "Made by Mr. Niiyama"???

Also, I understand Meiji period ran from 1868-1912. Is there anything in particular that makes you think the vase is from that period?

The inscription in Japanese on the base reads 'Shinzan saku' (Shinzan made). Probably 1920-30s export ware.

Thank you for your reply Guy. I'm a little confused now because someone at work just gave me a different translation ("Made by Mr. Niiyama")??? Anything in particular that makes you think this is post 1920?

Hi Joaqiun,

Japanese characters can be pronounced in different ways. In this case the characters of the name of the workshop 新山 must be read as 'Shinzan', not 'Niiyama'.

In my opinion your vase in Satsuma style was made in the early Showa era (1926-89), based on Meiji period patterns but continued trough the first half of past century.
I refer to a similar object by the same makers, dated ca. 1935.

Guy.

URL Title :Shinzan vase 1935

Hi Joaquin,

The only reason I dated the piece to the Meiji period is that the ones I saw (with this typical high relief decoration) were all dated (by others) to this period.

I understand your confusion. I can’t really read it myself but I give it a try to explain.
Japanese Kanji characters can have different meanings and pronunciations.
To start with the last character “Tsukuru” this means make/made so that’s clear, I guess.
The first character can be read as “Shin” but also as “ Nii”
The second character can be read as “Zan but also as “yama”
So you can make different combinations with that and to get the right one you have to know the context/meaning of the combination.
With most “names” on Japanese Satsuma-like ware the second character can/must be read as “ zan” (Ryozan, Kinkozan, Kozan, Shuzan etc.) and that’s why this was my (and probably Guys’ ) first choise but both readings are possible.

Maybe others –who can really read and write it – can explain it better.

I think I have to correct one thing your colleague told you.
He speaks about “Mr.” maybe thinking it is the name of a person, potter or artist. With exceptions (of course) these names are just tradingnames, used by killns, factories or shops and not the names of persons.

Regards,

Arjan

Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |