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Can anyone give me any information on this piece please?
Thank you

I have added contrast to the faint mark on the base of this vase and find that it bears somewhat of a resemblance to maker markings of the pre-1868 Edo period found in the section on marks from Hizen, an old province in the Nagasaki area, as shown in the 1882 book of Japanese marks and seals by James Lord Bowes. I'm hopeful that I.Nagy might be able to make some sense of it. I've enhanced and flipped it into various other possible reading positions.

Otherwise the vase looks to be a Satsuma or Kyoto product, perhaps of the Edo period. Very nicely painted, maybe of Shinto ritual musicians?

Best regards,

Bill H.

Bill - thank you very much for such a detailed response.
If you could take a look at the additional photos, I zoomed in on two places on the bottom, could they be marks of some kind? And another question - could you send a copy of that page of the 1882 book of Japanese marks and seals by James Lord Bowes where is it mentions a similar mark?
Thank you!

I can't see enough in the new photos to verify your suspicions and am beginning to doubt my own thoughts about the mark mentioned previously in the James Lord Bowes book. In any event here is a copy of the page with the mark, which is shown as No. 49. FYI in case you don't already know, when Bowes mentions "Old Japan" he is referring to the pre-Meiji Edo period.

Best wishes,

Bill H.

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