Tuesday, October 21, 2014

SEIJI KAISHA-Antique Porcelain of Arita 1879~1897

This company was short lived, but was established by former Koransha associates Fukami, Fukagawa, Tezuka, and Tsuji.  See Imari, Satsuma and Other Japanese Export Ceramics by Nancy N. Schiffer (1997). Also: www.imari.com/meiji4.html


"Seiji Kaisha (1879 - 1897)


In 1879, Fukaumi Suminosuke, Tezuka Kinosuke, and Tsuji Katsuzo left the Koransha Company where they were partners with Eizaemon Fukagawa, and joined Tokyo potter Kawahara Chujiro to start the Seiji Kaisha Company.  Like the Koransha Company, the Seiji Kaisha Company received commissions to provide porcelain for Imperial court and the Ministry of the imperial Household.

For nearly ten years Seiji Kaisha’s excellent craftsman created porcelain wares that, with the exception of Koransha and Fukagawa, had no serious competitors anywhere. In addition to other accomplishments, a gold medal was awarded to the Seiji Kaisha for a piece that was exhibited in Amsterdam in 1883.

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.  

This information can be found in Gisela Jahn's book, Meiji Ceramics."




8/30/2020 Conversation with Tsuji family.
After the company closed, some workers continued to use the Seiji Kaisha mark, as trademark laws had not yet been established. Wares of varying quality were produced and sold with this mark for a number of years. Wares fired and marks in the community kiln were also removed and many people decorated and sold them. The Tsuji family with their own (Tsuji mark) continued making their own high quality wares and they continue today with the 15th Tsuji Hitachi. 

                    
This goblet appears to have been produced after the close of the Seiji Kaisha company. 
 Many of the wares that have found their way to the west were produced by the people who used the mark after the company closed. 





This appears to be post-closure with combination of transfer and hand decorating 
 

This piece also appears to be post closure of the original Seiji Kaisha



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