Kozangama or Kazangama

There is some confusion between two marks posted on internet sites, Kozangama and Kazangama. The one on the left is Kazangama of Arita.  The one on the right is Kozangama of Mino. Because Kozangama of Mino often uses Imari style design in its porcelain it is often mistakenly listed as Arita ware.

Geisha Ware or Geisha Girl Porcelain

For some reason many people seem to like this stuff. I personally do not think much of it. It is cheaply made, roughly painted but nevertheless has a following. Keep in mind that there is a range of quality as well as periods of production. 

Geisha Girl export porcelain began in in the late 1800's, ceased during the war and then came back with a vengeance after the war. A good basic history of this porcelain is covered in Elyce Litt's book "The Collector's Encyclopedia of Geisha Girl Porcelain".

This dresser set, according to Litt's book, is a modern reproduction.  This may be from mid 1950's-1970's.

Geisha ware plate with Made in Japan printed

TACHIZURU CHAWAN (立鶴 茶碗 )

Gohonte  style with standing crane design and tall foot

The mark is 耕甫 

I found a similar on line attributed to Kisada Koho with this same mark.

Possibly a tribute piece by another potter? 

I love this tea bowl.  

RAKU YAKI (楽焼き )-Ceramics of Kyoto Prefecture

Japanese Raku ceramics are a difficult style to get a handle on. There is the Raku family with direct lines back to Chojiro, but there are also side lines of the family like the Tamamizu line. Some of the side lines have attained high regard by tea practitioners. There are also raku style and marked wares made by other kilns and in other areas of Japan. For those untrained in the Raku tradition it can be confusing. There are also unscrupulous people selling off brand Raku wares as those from the original Raku line. 

Links

https://www.raku-yaki.or.jp/e/

https://www.raku-yaki.or.jp/e/history/index.html

https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/project/culture/exhibit/oversea/2014/03-01.html

                                This is an incense case made by Fukui Rakuin  ( 福井 楽印)

Raku Yaki tea bowl attributed to Shoraku Sasaki III (佐々木松楽) 

Aka Raku natsu chawan by Yoshimura Rakunyu

平安寿峰

Aka Raku chawan by 鈴木吉祥

Example of some styles of other raku (楽) markings

Raku side line pamphlet from Raku museum

 

OLD IMARI (古伊万里 ) and Antique Imari

Although my blog emphasizes "modern", one cannot discuss Japanese ceramics without understanding its past. 

Kaku Ao (Mark of the Aoki Bothers of Arita)  Aoki Kyodai Shokai began before 1890. In 1890 Aoki Junichiro’s kiln was the second largest kiln in Arita ( after Koransha). Aoki Bros was incorporated in 1899.

http://ryuzankoubou.jp/about/historyancestor.html

Aoki Junichiro   (1863-1955)

This sometsuke bowl motif is called Sansui....a land and seascape, which can include craggy rocks, water, mountains, a small structure and sometimes a boat. 

        Some-nishiki plates.  Kaku Ao with red "久"?

            Here is another Aoki mark used @the Taisho period

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Yoshi MARK 

          This plate is a sansui/some-nishiki motif.

The red Hizen MARK in the center of this plates was common in the Meiji Period 1868-1912

This is a lid with the Hizen mark

This bowl is 13cm in diameter

🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

This small 10.5cm Sometsuke plate is probably from late Edo to early Meiji Period (1860's)

🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃

10 cm Sometsuke Ko-Imari plate (小皿) with rough Kinsugi golden repair

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

  

Imari sometsuke tea cup late 1800's

🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

        

             19th century  Imari Iroe (色絵) 28cm plate with Hana Kago center motif

      

     

                                       Antique Imari cover for a bowl

                                        

                                 🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🍃🍃🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿🍃🌿

Antique Tokkuri

          

These bottles were made in Arita as well as in Tobe. This may be either. They are all very similar and unmarked.

    ARITA BOTTLE/VASE

 

       29 cm tall (15") 73cm around at widest part circa late Edo period

          Sometsuke Rocks and Peony motif (岩牡丹染め付け)

                                          🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾

These little bowls came in a very old wooden box. There were ten bowls, but three had small chips. I believe these may be soba choko or perhaps bowls for simmered vegetables. The painting on them is very fuzzy so it is not my iPhone's fault. 

 

    Sometsuke flower shaped rim with simple "mikomi" center design, Circa 1850's 

LINK:

http://www.meiji-imari.com/en/meijiimari_en/meijiimari03.html

 

       Imari Sometsuke small hand painted dish with bird, squid, fan, and other traditional patterns

Sometsuke Tea bowl with mark somewhat similar to the one above.

  

       Imari Iroe 16cm bowl with "Snake's Eye" foot, circa mid to late 19th century

   

                            

              

Small Meiji era hand painted Sometsuke bowls with snake eyes variation on the foot.

              Nazuna Flower motif. c. 1900

 Meiji period Namasu with Sho Chiku Bai in the center (mikomi).

 

This also has a "sho chiku bai" motif probably late Meiji/ early Taisho era. 

          

This is a top found on the bottom shelf at a charity shop. It has the Kakutomi mark on it. This is probably mid Meiji period. 

Shida Yaki. Late 1800's Meiji era, Imari sometsuke plate 29cm in diameter. It has six stilt marks, no additional markings.

IMARI DISH-Meiji era

                   17cm wide 12.5 cm tall

IMARI DISHES

16.5 cm diameter, The center is a pomegranate motif, alternating Longevity mark  and form of red "fern" Shida Karakusa on the outer panels.  

IMARI PLATE

    15cm wide 12.5cm tall         Imari sansui some-nishiki plate 

Some snapshots from an Auction house

      

                        🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃

Imari with spurious Chinese reign marks as decoration

Abalone shaped dish 16.4 cm x 13.5 cm

               Sei Ka Nen Sei (成化年製)

19th century small bowl in the "Kikka" (菊花) chrysanthemum motif. Kikkagata zara-chrysanthemum shaped plate. The flowers have 16 petals both in the outer shape as well as in the center.  The back mark is a Chinese mark used on Japanese wares from the mid Edo period. 奇玉宝鼎之珍 (In Japanese would read: ki gyuoku hou tei no chin). **This may be Daishoji Imari

Spurious "Dai Min Sei Ka Nen Sei" mark often found on Japanese antique porcelain. 

These are tops to bowls. Fuki cho shun marking.

FUKI CHOSHUN

    Imari oval plate, no mark.

Three Friends of Winter (sho-chiku-bai) central motif with Uzu-Fuku mark

Edo period Imari plate with Uzufuku mark (attributed to Kakiemon).

       Zoshuntei Sanpo Zo 蔵春亭三保造



FUKAE SEI

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Seiji-Sometsuke with Ken Mark 

This mark is generally found on late Edo/Bakumatsu period wares. It refers to the old Chinese Quianlong period but is used only as decoration. 

*Keep in mind that the Ken mark was also used on repro's in the mid 20th century. Look for other indicators of age. 

                        Iro-e Namasu dish with Snake’s eye foot. The mark reads Man Reki Nen Sei.