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Subject:Help translating marks on a Japanese bowl
Posted By: Robert Sun, Oct 15, 2023 IP: 2607:fb90:db01:ed81:

Please help me to translate the characters on the reverse of this 20th century Japanese enameled stoneware bowl, possibly Kyo-ware. The red enamel mark appears to be a stylized mountain (“yama”) over the character for “naka”, so yama-naka. The first character of the iron black mark is the more traditional “yama”, but what about the remaining characters? And, why the reference to yama-naka? Is it possible that the dish is not Kyo-ware but from Yamanaka Onsen? Or, might it be a reference to Yamanaka & Co., an exporter of Japanese arts and crafts starting in the later Meiji period up until WWII?





Subject:Re: Help translating marks on a Japanese bowl
Posted By: I.Nagy Thu, Oct 19, 2023

Inscription:
乹山 Kenzan (in standardized form 乾山)
Refers to Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山 1663-1743、famous potter and painter, the bold floral design of the bowl seemingly was borowed from him.
Bottom mark,
The so-called Fuji-ryusui (Stream of water and Mt. Fuji) mark with a character 丹 (Tan) - seems to be a less known Fukagawa - Arita mark.
A 20th century product.

With regards,
I.Nagy

Subject:Re: Help translating marks on a Japanese bowl
Posted By: Robert Fri, Oct 20, 2023

Thank you very much! Besides misinterpreting the Mt Fuji with stream mark as 'yama' (mountain) I also misinterpreted the 'tan' character as 'naka'. Thanks for setting me straight, and please disregard my later re-post of the same image.


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