Help identify Oriental vase (Satsuma?)

December 22, 2011 2:45 AM

Please help me identify a vase my MIL bought. She was told it's Satsuma.

It doesn't say "Japan" anywhere, which suggests it might be original, but it also doesn't have the cross-in-circle on the bottom, and I don't think we're quite at the point where I can search for the signature on the bottom.

I've uploaded pictures of the vase and the signature.

posted by wrm to home & garden (1 answer total)

The design is not elaborate and looks like a Chinese knockoff, and the signature is not any of the major Satsuma producers.

The rim of the vase appears to have the old katakana ヱ, which would place it in pre-1940 Japan, but I don't know why you would write that there. I think we're going to need someone who can read grass script-- paging no-sword!
posted by shii at 3:45 AM on December 22, 2011