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I recently bought this Japanese cup.
Although I usually try to solve the signatures myself, this is a hard one. Í guess on the right it probably says: Hirado. But then I'm lost and need some more experienced member(s) of this forum to please help me with the decoding of the characters.
Thanks in advance,
regards,
Martin.

Martin, read down and across from the right, I believe the characters possibly are:

平戸
美賀扣
地

Best regards,

Bill H.

In addition to Bill's response,
平戸　　-　Hirado -Name of porcelain produced in Mikawachi, Sasebo, Nagasaki Pref.
美賀　　-　Mika - It could have been a name of a kiln sometime.
扣地　　-　Hikaechi (控地）Land prepared for future need.

With regards,
I.Nagy

Bill,
Thanks again for helping me out.
However, it remains a mystery.
美賀扣 translates to Mikako (ON-reading), but the online Japanese Kanji Name Dictionary does not give those 3 characters for Mikako, but the first 2 spell Mika, which is a Japanese female first name.
Your last character 地 (ji or chi) means "earth" or "ground". Back to the 3rd character above 扣 (ko or hika), that means something like "knock" or "strike".
So it is assumed that it says: Mika strikes ground ?? Meaning something like: Mika made the cup from clay ??
Intriguing.
Thanks again, regards,
Martin.

I. Nagy,
Thanks for your addition, it helps a lot and I think I was close with the text in my reaction on Bill H's answer.

This is what I like about this forum, helping each other and complement each other. Great !!!

And today I'm posting a new item (See: Dragon cup) about a Japanese mark on which is a character I can't find. Hopefully you (Bill H / I. Nagy / Guy) can help me with that to.

Regards and thanks again guys,
Martin

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