Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries


Visitors' Forum

Asian Art  Forums - Detail List
Asian Art Forums

Message Listing by Date:
Message Index | Back | Post a New Message | Search | Private Mail | FAQ
Subject:Tea Set for Identification
Posted By: Mary A. Sat, Sep 09, 2017 IP: 2606:a000:804c:1500:

I have a tea set I would like to identify. Could anyone provide information on the maker and/or time period?





Subject:Re: Tea Set for Identification
Posted By: Bill H Mon, Sep 11, 2017

This mark, shown upside down, appears when flipped to read as "Shimada Sei" (Made by Shimada). The name Shimada has come up before in the forum, but in a mark of "Shimada Zo" (same meaning). Gotheborg.com also has a record of the name, in a Satsuma-style mark of "Dai Nippon Shimada Zo", on a piece described as "in 'Kutani' style", probably decorated in Yokohama in the early 20th century. I'd say that your tea set also could have been made in the post-Nippon era of the early 20th century, or after about 1920. The USA and other countries required English point-of-origin marking on items like this at the time, but paper labels were acceptable.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Subject:Re: Tea Set for Identification
Posted By: Martin Michels Mon, Sep 11, 2017

The mark reads: Shimamura 島村 Sei 製 (Made by Shimamura), on the picture the mark is upside down.

Not a lot is known about Shimamura. He specialized in the mass production of export ware for which there was no domestic market in Japan.
Shimamura opened a store selling Japanese imports in Atlantic City, (New Jersey) in 1888. He was also an active participant at the World Trade Fair of Chicago in 1904, where he exhibited expertly made porcelain with lavish moriage slip decoration on eggshell porcelain that was particularly well received by the American public.

Regards,
Martin.

Subject:Re: Tea Set for Identification
Posted By: Bill H Tue, Sep 12, 2017

Martin is absolutely correct. I should have flipped the photo and turned off the hurricane warning report before making up my mind.

Bill H.

Subject:Re: Tea Set for Identification
Posted By: Mary A. Tue, Sep 12, 2017

Thank you both! You have been very helpful.


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