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Subject:Japanese dishes with 'Ken' (乾 - Qian)
Posted By: Bill H Tue, Apr 17, 2018 IP: 2601:342:80:4e1c:18b
Recently in the forum, Garth posed a similar question about a bowl with the "Ken" (乾) mark. This is the first character as in the reign title of the High Qing period Qianlong emperor.

I have a couple of Japanese pieces with the same type of mark, shown below, and hope to get some assistance putting them in context as well. First is an 18-inch charger with auspicious chrysanthemum, swastika and butterfly motif suggesting it might have been giftware for a wedding. The other is a 6.25-inch dish with flowers I'm guessing may be orchids on a bamboo frame. There's an indentation in the center that looks like thise dish was used as an under-plate for a bowl.

The charger mark seems mostly to resemble the one shown by Arjan as the 1810-1840 period, while the smaller dish's mark is somewhat but not precisely like the 1820-1860 mark.

All comments welcome.

Thanks,

Bill H.










Link :Japanese Ken Mark


Subject:Re: Japanese dishes with 'Ken' (乾 - Qian)
Posted By: Martin Michels Wed, Apr 18, 2018
Hi Bill,

About the pictures of the different "Ken" markings:
Are those examples of Ken marks found more than once in that specific time period (1790-1810, etc.) or are they just cataloged by someone who happens to have one piece from a specific period.
For many years I collect all kinds of Japanese marks and found out that the signatures by the same person vary a lot, even in a short period, from correct Kanji to hardly readable cursive.
So, perhaps the different Ken marks are just coincidence?
Regards,
Martin.

Subject:Re: Japanese dishes with 'Ken' (乾 - Qian)
Posted By: Bill H Thu, Apr 19, 2018
Martin, the trio of 'Ken' marks were provided by Arjan, a long-time and well versed forum contributor, in his comment in the thread that I referenced, which was started by Garth. The link at the left side below the three marks above leads to it. I note that Guy also contributed to that thread with a link to gotheborg.com, where there's a 'Ken' mark similar to the earliest one in Arjan's group but with a date given of 1780-1860.

Thanks,

Bill H.

Subject:Re: Japanese dishes with 'Ken' (乾 - Qian)
Posted By: Lawrence Lewis Sat, Apr 21, 2018
I'm afraid I have nothing to add with respect to the mark(s), but isn't that smaller plate a piece of Nabeshima ware?

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