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can anyone identify this signature, also any good recommendations for finding Japanese bronze signatures

You've shown the mark resting on it lefthand side. It should be arranged to be read down and across in three stacks from its righthand side as "Da Ming, Xuan De, Nian Zhi - Made during the Xuande Reign of the Great Ming Dynasty":

年宣大
製德明

Further, the vase is revealed not to be of the period by the second character of the Xuande name, which was only 14 strokes in such Ming usage. See the period version below:

年宣大
製徳明

In addition to having been used in Ming imperial names, this de/徳 character is also the modern variant used in Japan.

Can't say much more about your censer, since most of it remains unseen.

Bill H.

Wow - thank you so much - not too good with my phone and didn't know how to turn the picture the correct way - i have a pair of bronzes with the cartouche on the back and was wondering who made them -see pics - now I know its a reign mark - thanks again

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