Marks & Seals
Documented signatures by maker, with page citations to Lawrence 2011. Kanji shown as pending are not yet verified against page images.
Reading Satsuma marks (Lawrence 2011, pp.226–229)
- Read right to left, top to bottom; first check the bottom-left character for sei/zo (made) or ga (painted); the name sits above. (p.226)
- Dai Nihon (Great Japan) often on the right or across the top; ignore when searching for the name. (p.226)
- Satsuma yaki (Satsuma ware) often in the middle; yaki sometimes omitted. (p.227)
- Some artists wrote only their name (Seikozan most often); others alternated (Meizan / Yabu Meizan). (p.226)
- Alternatives: koku, sho, kore, do (carved, i.e. made), kinzo (respectfully made), saku (made), Ishuin (ceramic guild). (pp.226, 229)
- At least six different 'ko' characters were used for 'Kozan'; different characters mean different artists. (p.230)
- Spurious early dates (Bunka, Temmei, Kiowa) appear on Kinran wares. (pp.232–233, 235, 240)
| Maker | Kanji | Dates | Mark readings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yabu Meizan Directory no. 130 | pending | 1853–1934 | Meizan sei · authentic (Lawrence 2011, p.242) Yabu Meizan · authentic (Lawrence 2011, p.242) Dai Nihon, Meizan · very scarce; on exceptional pieces (Lawrence 2011, p.242) Meizan (impressed) (Lawrence 2011, p.242) Yabu Meizan · FORGERY: lack of flowing lines, unsteady hand (Lawrence 2011, p.242) Dai Nihon, Yabu Meizan · FAKE (no attempt to imitate usual mark) (Lawrence 2011, p.242) |
| Yabu Meizan Directory no. 131 | pending | Meizan · used by adopted son Yabu Tsuneo after 1926 (Lawrence 2011, p.242) | |
| Kinkozan Sōbei (workshop) Directory no. 89 | pending | Sōbei VI d.1884; Sōbei VII 1868–1927 (p.54) | Kinkozan ga (Lawrence 2011, p.237) Kinkozan zo (Lawrence 2011, p.237) Kinkozan seizo (Lawrence 2011, p.237) Kyoto, Kinkozan zo, Awata (Lawrence 2011, p.237) Dai Nihon kikoku Kyoto Awata, Kinkozan seizo with seal (Lawrence 2011, p.237) Kinkozan zo, Seiko · decorator Seiko (Lawrence 2011, p.238) Sozan ga Sozan · decorator Sozan at Kinkozan (Lawrence 2011, p.238) |
| Suwa Sozan I Directory no. 186 | pending | 1852–1922 | (impressed mark, image only) (Lawrence 2011, p.246) |
| Kozan Makuzu (Miyagawa) Directory no. 107 | pending | 1842–1916 | Makuzu (impressed) (Lawrence 2011, p.240) Go seki, Kozan / Go seki Makuzu · name divided across a pair of vases (Lawrence 2011, p.240) |
| Seikozan Directory no. 156 | pending | Dai Nihon Kobe, Seikozan seizo · early signature (Lawrence 2011, p.244) Seikozan sei (Lawrence 2011, p.244) Kozan · shortened form of Seikozan (Lawrence 2011, p.244) Kozan sei · shortened form of Seikozan (Lawrence 2011, p.244) Seikozan · possibly another artist (calligraphy differs) (Lawrence 2011, p.244) Seikozan above Yasuda trademark · a different Yasuda artist per p.142 (Lawrence 2011, p.248) | |
| Chin Jukan XII Directory no. 9 | pending | 1835–1906 | Satsuma, Jukan zo · reading provisional (Lawrence 2011, p.231) Gyokuzan (impressed) · art name 1874–1897 (Lawrence 2011, p.231) Satsuma, Gyokuzan zo (Lawrence 2011, p.231) |
| Chin Jukan XIII Directory no. 10 | pending | 1889–1964 | Satsuma Jukan sei (Lawrence 2011, p.231) |
| Chin Jukan XIV Directory no. 11 | pending | 1926– | Satsuma Jukan sei (Lawrence 2011, p.231) |
| Taizan Yohei Directory no. 190 | pending | 1864–1922 | Taizan (impressed) (Lawrence 2011, p.246) Awata Taizan (impressed) (Lawrence 2011, p.246) Dai Nihon, Taizan sei (Lawrence 2011, p.246) |
| Ryozan Okamoto Directory no. 147 | pending | Ryozan (Lawrence 2011, p.243) Dai Nihon, Kyoto Tojiki Goshigaisha, Ryozan below Yasuda trademark (Lawrence 2011, p.228) Ryozan below Yasuda trademark (Lawrence 2011, p.248) Ryozan, Satsuma, Jukan · entry 149, may be a different Ryozan (Lawrence 2011, p.243) | |
| Gyokushu Directory no. 35 | pending | Satsuma yaki, Gyokushu ga · entries 35–37 (Lawrence 2011, p.234) | |
| Hankinzan Directory no. 44 | pending | Hankinzan do (Lawrence 2011, p.234) Hankinzan zo · entry 43 (Lawrence 2011, p.234) | |
| Shoko Takebe Directory no. 172 | pending | Shoko Takebe, Thomas B Blow (in katakana) (Lawrence 2011, p.245) | |
| Fuzan Directory no. 24 | pending | Fuzan, Nikko yama, Yomiemon (Lawrence 2011, p.233) Dai Nihon, Fuzan zo · entry 26 (Lawrence 2011, p.233) | |
| Tozan Ito Directory no. 201 | pending | 1846–1920 | Tozan zo (Lawrence 2011, p.247) Tozan sei; Namikawa Yasuyuki gift inscription, Meiji 44 · column assignment uncertain (Lawrence 2011, p.247) |
| Hozan Matsumoto Directory no. 56 | pending | Dai Nihon, Kyoto, Hozan seizo (Lawrence 2011, p.235) Dai Nihon, Matsumoto Hozan below Yasuda trademark (Lawrence 2011, p.247) | |
| Eizan Kawamoto Directory no. 18 | pending | Shi bu ii shin shi, Kawamoto Eizan saku (Lawrence 2011, p.232) Take-i naoshi, Kawamoto Eizan saku (Lawrence 2011, p.232) | |
| Nakamura Baikei Directory no. 136 | pending | Nakamura Baikei zo, with attestation (Lawrence 2011, p.106) | |
| Hododa Directory no. 51 | pending | Satsuma yaki, Hododa sei with seal (Lawrence 2011, p.235) Dai Nihon Satsuma yaki, Ishuin Hododa seizo, Kyo Yoshinobu ga (Lawrence 2011, p.235) Bunka ni nen, Dai Nihon Satsuma yaki, Hododa seizo, Masanobu · spurious early date (Lawrence 2011, p.235) | |
| Yasuda (Kyoto Tojiki Goshigaisha) Directory no. 205 | pending | Kyoto, Yasuda zo kore (Lawrence 2011, p.247) Yasuda trademark with artist names: Hozan, Kizan, Kozan, Nikkozan, Seikozan, Shuzan, Ryozan, Yuzan (Lawrence 2011, p.248) |
Source: Lawrence 2011, pp.226–229