Satsuma Mark identification.

heavenguy · Feb 23, 2016, 01:50:51

Hello guys, I'm really having a hard time trying to figure this Satsuma mark out. Any idea of the artist or studio?

Thank you in advance.

Stan · Feb 23, 2016, 13:58:25

I do not recognize the mark, maybe Peter can help, however it is uncommon to see a mark this way, the top means Great, usually it would be used for Great Japan, and not Great and then a makers mark.

peterp · Feb 23, 2016, 14:35:12

It says "Daibutsu" = great or big Buddha (??)
This character is used in its simplified version in modern Japanese (?).

heavenguy · Feb 23, 2016, 19:34:34

Thank you, I was having a really hard time with it.

heavenguy · Feb 23, 2016, 19:39:54

My question now will be why would a mark like this be on a Satsuma Charger? Never seen one like that before...

Stan · Feb 23, 2016, 20:51:49

The answer is " Modern Japanese", The mark is not a traditional Japanese mark, the question is what part of the 20th century was it made, I am not that familiar with modern Japanese items.
BTW. Peter do you think that simplified Chinese characters and simplified Japanese came around the same period, 1960.
It would be nice to see the whole charger front and back, I notice lately that there is appearing a lot of Satsuma items with a white crackle glaze, not the traditional ivory white crackle.

peterp · Feb 23, 2016, 21:09:07

No Stan, that is something completely different. The Japanese have their own version of simplifications, and many already in the 19th century, probably. I don't think you will find this 'butsu' character on anything other than inscriptions or old writing, etc. in Japan today.
Chinese has always had some simplified versions of some characters, mainly used in handwriting. Printing is still using the full version with more strokes. In Taiwan and Hong Kong the original, more complex character version is still normal, at least in printing.
What China did is something completely different. The PRC government possibly intended to make further simplifications, so that it would end up in a syllabary or something, quite different from the pictorial characters.
Japanese has simplifications that are different from both, the simplified and original versions of Chinese characters (Kanji).

heavenguy · Feb 23, 2016, 21:51:12

oh, wow that is a nice explanation both. I'm learning a lot. I guess I'll be staying away from unfamiliar marks then. Thank you so much both. Its been of great help.