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Please can anyone identify the Impressed mark on the base of this plate,, does anyone know the maker and age of the plate? it's 12 inches diameter and I believe it to be transfer printed?

Your charger is imo Japanese and transfer printed. I believe it dates to early part of the 20th century.So 1930's or there abouts.
Mark@imperial

The plate is Japanese transfer ware. The mark, shown upside down, appears to be that of the Seiji Kaisha (Pure Water) Company, a late 19th century venture by members of the Fukagawa family in the Koransha (Scented Orchid Company) with descendants of Korean potters resettled to Japan in the late 16th century after being captured by Japanese troops during an abortive attempt by the Daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi to invade China via the Korean Peninsula. According to the website gotheborg.com, the Seiji Kaisha venture only operated from 1879 to about 1897.

Here's a relevant snippet on Arita potters from a 1901 book by Frank Brinkley, "Japan, Its History, Arts and Literature, Volume 8". Note that "Seiji Kaisha" is spelled "Seiji-sha". Some of the Japanese names may vary from modern transliterations.

"The family of Fukami, founded by Fukami Obasen, one of the Koreans who came to Japan in the train of Hide-yoshi’s generals.–Obasen’s descendants have been engaged as potters at Arita ever since the close of the sixteenth century, but they employed no marks by which their productions can be identified until the time of Fukami Sumi-No Suki, one of the founders of the Seiji-sha. Sumi-no-suke developed great skill in the manufacture of porcelain decorated with blue sous couverte. Excellent pieces made by him are to be found. They bear the mark “Made by Toshikian Kiso” (vide Marks and Seals). He died in 1886, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Fukami Takeji."

The first image below are of a fish-form side dish with an iron red Seiji Kaisha mark.

The second image shows views of a small libation vessel with gold Koransha mark and signature of "Made by Toshikian Kiso". This piece certainly demonstrates the excellence noted by Frank Brinkley.

Best regards,

Bill H.

This is Japanese and is the impressed Seiji logo of the Seiji Kaisha (Pure water company). Your photo is displayed upside down.

In 1879 Tezuka Kamenosuke, Tsuji Katsuzo, Takeji Fukaumi & his brother Suminosuke Fukaumi left the Fukagawa Koransha Company and joined the Tokyo potter Kawahara Chujiro to start the Seiji Kaisha.
This Seiji Kaisha must not to be confused with the Fukagawa Seiji Company of Chuji Fukagawa, founded in the same year 1879.
Following the deaths of Kawahara and Tezuka in 1888 and 1889, and the inability to find people who could operate the new machines needed to modernize their production methods, the Seiji Kaisha Company closed in 1897.

Regards,
Martin.

Martin, this is the first time it has settled into my weak mind that Seiji Kaisha and Fukagawa were separate entities. An over-reliance on the James Lord Bowes book of marks and seals, which predates the split, and the fact that Koransha is still part of Fukagawa in modern times didn't help bring it home to me either. Appreciate your clear account.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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