Help with large dragon handled pottery flambe ? Vase signed

[Cheswick]

Hi, could anybody give me any info on this pottery vase (age/maker)

There are 2 character marks on bottom rim, would this be classed as flambe ?

Many thanks

[Stan]

The mark is not traditional for Chinese, I have seen Japanese marks that put their mark on the foot rim, but Im not sure this is Japanese, either way I think it is 20 century or later.

[peterp]

The characters seem to be ??. This is more likely Japanese with that, despite the side decoration, and it is probably vintage at the best.

[Cheswick]

Thanks for the info, I didn't think it was old, it's got that studio pottery look to it.

Would this be considered a flambe glaze ?

[Stan]

It looks like they were trying to imitated the Chinese flamb?, so I guess you could say yes.

[peterp]

Chinese flamb? usually involves the colors red and blue (and colors in between). Where and in what manner that effect occurred was not controllable, it happened all in the kiln during the firing. The result was unforeseeable, unlike this one which probably had colors specific applied for that.