I have a vase. (pronounced "vaahz") It is large and quite old. There are Chinese characters on the bottom and what looks like possibly a potter's mark. Can someone please help me figure out what it says?
Help with Chinese
- Thread starter Great Bights Mum
- Start date
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- Blue_Wolf_II
Where is Harm when you need her? 
Romanoffia
Garde à l'eau!
Almost in the form of a Japanese "Imari". Hard to tell from the characters as pre-1930's Japan still used Chinese (based) ideographic writing. I'd say the vase is actually Japanese.
The reason I say that is because the character at the top left is a traditional Chinese character for "eternity" ("Ei" or "Yong" in Chinese) and usually found on Japanese pottery from the pre-1940 eara. I would, however, date the piece from anywhere from 1868 to the early 1900's:
Very similar to the Eiruko style made in Kyoto from about 1868-1912. I do see the Japanese characters for ei and raku, Eiraku that would indicate this:
I'd would say that you've got a very nice example of a Eiruko (or other Kyoto school/studio) piece from prior to 1912, possibly as early as the the 1870's. That said, it could be earlier than 1868 because I don't seem to see the Japanese characters for "Great Japan" (Mejie period) or 'Nippon' in the potter's mark (or at least I don't recognize the forms of those characters).
The Japanese used a Chinese based ideographic/ideogramatic (largely the same characters, but somewhat simplified) prior to the early 1920's when their modern alphabetic system came into official usage).
One other clue is to see if the glazing was done in an 'overglaze' method which would put it closer to 1900 or so than 1860.
I knew this kind of cursory trivial knowledge would come in useful someday.
The reason I say that is because the character at the top left is a traditional Chinese character for "eternity" ("Ei" or "Yong" in Chinese) and usually found on Japanese pottery from the pre-1940 eara. I would, however, date the piece from anywhere from 1868 to the early 1900's:
Very similar to the Eiruko style made in Kyoto from about 1868-1912. I do see the Japanese characters for ei and raku, Eiraku that would indicate this:
I'd would say that you've got a very nice example of a Eiruko (or other Kyoto school/studio) piece from prior to 1912, possibly as early as the the 1870's. That said, it could be earlier than 1868 because I don't seem to see the Japanese characters for "Great Japan" (Mejie period) or 'Nippon' in the potter's mark (or at least I don't recognize the forms of those characters).
The Japanese used a Chinese based ideographic/ideogramatic (largely the same characters, but somewhat simplified) prior to the early 1920's when their modern alphabetic system came into official usage).
One other clue is to see if the glazing was done in an 'overglaze' method which would put it closer to 1900 or so than 1860.
I knew this kind of cursory trivial knowledge would come in useful someday.
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- Blue_Wolf_II
Good show, old bean.
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- McMasterdonia
Indeed. Well done Romanoffia!
Excellent gif BW.
Excellent gif BW.
Thanks, Roman! That is helpful. I think it is probably early 1900s. I ought to ask Yao to take a look at it too.
Next up, I'll have a banjo I can't find the maker for.
Next up, I'll have a banjo I can't find the maker for.
Romanoffia
Garde à l'eau!
Cool! Musical instruments! Now that's right up my alley.
I've got a few banjos. The best banjos use ground hog skins for the diaphragms.
I've got a few banjos. The best banjos use ground hog skins for the diaphragms.
Just to follow-up, I asked Yaorozu if he could find out anything about it and he did. He said
I love stuff like this!
The one banjo we figured out was a Kay because of the eagle on the resonator. No big deal, but it sounds great. The other banjo is a Weymann 8-string from the teens or early 20s. It is only 30" long, not as short as a banjolin but not full-size either. Weymann was from PA where we have plenty of groundhogs.
I love stuff like this!
The one banjo we figured out was a Kay because of the eagle on the resonator. No big deal, but it sounds great. The other banjo is a Weymann 8-string from the teens or early 20s. It is only 30" long, not as short as a banjolin but not full-size either. Weymann was from PA where we have plenty of groundhogs.
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- McMasterdonia
Wow very interesting. This kind of reminds me of Antiques roadshow :p
I love Antiques Roadshow! I'm pretty good at guessing how much they're going to appraise something at. But then, that's kind of my job.
I have this iron hook with a brass duck on the top.... I've had it for 3 years and didn't know what the heck it was. Just yesterday, I learned it is a fireplace damper pull. So, I never know what will be coming through the door, and I do learn something new every day.
I have this iron hook with a brass duck on the top.... I've had it for 3 years and didn't know what the heck it was. Just yesterday, I learned it is a fireplace damper pull. So, I never know what will be coming through the door, and I do learn something new every day.
Romanoffia
Garde à l'eau!
Excellent information on the pottery!Great Bights Mum:Just to follow-up, I asked Yaorozu if he could find out anything about it and he did. He said
I love stuff like this!
The one banjo we figured out was a Kay because of the eagle on the resonator. No big deal, but it sounds great. The other banjo is a Weymann 8-string from the teens or early 20s. It is only 30" long, not as short as a banjolin but not full-size either. Weymann was from PA where we have plenty of groundhogs.
A Weymann 8-string from the teens or early 20s. Now that is a nice find! Bela Fleck has a Weymann of a similar design he occasionally plays.
Roman, I have both banjos listed now. Just search on my id: 2000joni. Also, you may be interested to see the 1930s Philco cathedral I just put up. There's actually 2 vintage Philco's but the other one has a Zenith case.