"Poem bowl", with 5 character mark...

[cimage]

Hello,

Got this "poem bowl" (so to speak). It has a poem that I can't read... and a strange 5 character mark on it. Maybe an artist's work...

If anyone could help thanks in advance.

[heavenguy]

This is Japanese probably somewhere in the second half of the 20th century, but Stan knows more than this than me... Maybe he can give us an answer...

[cimage]

Thanks heavenguy. Hope Stan gives it a look.

[Stan]

I'm not sure about the mark but this looks like Seto ware from 1900 to 1910.

[Stan]

Further study, I believe the two marks on the left are Owari province, they are in my book of marks it say's that marks like this usually meant the inscription was directed by the purchaser or by the manufacturer. I was thinking at first Seto province because the celadon light green color and the decoration are similar to pieces I have from Seto.

[cimage]

Thank you Stan.

This kind a messes up things even more... If I understand you well, it might mean that it was done in Owari (Owariware), or it could mean that someone from Owari purchased it and so it could have been done anywhere else in japan?

[Stan]

No what I mean is sometimes pieces were commissioned, and the buyer that commissioned the work to be done would have told the potter what to wright, it could have been for a gift to someone else or a poem or the potter himself could have inscribed it himself either way it would have been made in Owari, maybe some one can tell you what is inscribed on the bowl and the characters on the right side of bottom mark might be the potter himself.

[peterp]

Stan, I have nothing to say regarding the item, but the mark is one of the ugliest I have ever seen. The positioning of the characters is odd, and the second and third characters are difficult to read. The left side means ?? , meaning 'carefully made', just the opposite what the mark is.
In addition the proportions of the characters themselves give the impression as if someone not knowing even basic calligraphy or a child just learning to write was doing that.

[cimage]

Thank you Stan. I've already asked for translation... and waiting for an answer.

I agree : the signature is careless. But generally speaking there are a few Japanese porcelain signatures that are "ugly".

On the opposite the interior design appears well done, with a good sens of aesthetics.
Birds and bambous appear slightly stiff... but hey that's "porcelain-life".

[peterp]

The bowl, especially inside, looks very nice, I agree.
Japanese marks that are difficult to read are usually so because of the of the handwriting, and also sometimes because some artisans abbreviate strokes in an unconventional manner. That does not mean the marks look bad.
However, here is a character style that actually should be easy to read even for someone like me who has usually some difficulty with handwriting. I think if the characters' positioning and proportions were as they should be, the effect of the look of the mark would not be as is.
I'm just baffled that an item with such a delicately painted decoration has such a carelessly executed mark.

[Stan]

As I was thumbing through my book on Japanese marks, I came across the two characters on the left side, the book is vague and reads Marks found on Owari pottery, the marks look the same, It reads that these  marks are often found on items with script and would have been commissioned by a client or the potter himself added the script for market.

[cimage]

Thanks again Stan!

If I may another question : any idea what time period are we talking about?

[Stan]

Hi Cimage, and Peter, the two left Characters mean " Respectfully Made " I have a question for Peter, is "Respectfully"  the same as "Carefully".  in the book it say's Respectfully, which was used in Owari which is in Seto, so my first impression was right when I said Seto ware, I would say this is late 19th to early 20th Century, I also found out that Owari ware was almost always signed by the potter, the marks on the right are more than likely the potters mark or shop mark, I also agree with Peter, the mark is very sloppy, I have never seen a mark like this before, was it added at a later time Hmmmm.

[cimage]

I really thank you Stan!

[peterp]

Hi Stan, as a former professional translator living a long time in Japan and now in Taiwan I can say that I would consider 'respectful' a mistranslation. The left part is no mystery:  ??. You find it occasionally on other porcelain. The first character means 'careful, refined' and similar. The second is just 'made', very common in marks.
I must say that in this specific case both the Japanese and Chinese meanings completely agree in few to its meaning.

See this: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%B2%BE
Below is a number of translations of the noun. The first two are the most accurate for the first character on the left ?, ?which seems to be puzzling to you. The rest of the translations show mostly the meaning of character combinations, when its meaning assumes the a new meaning depending on the following character.
The problem is actually the second and third character in the first, right column, especially the second one. The writing makes it difficult to distinguish the strokes.