Japanese Imari Style Bowl, Unfamiliar Mark

[Kaaren B.]

This bowl looks like Imari Style, but I could not read the mark and did not find it on Lita Ling Kelley's site, which I often go to to look for marks. I hope I have the mark right side up.

It looks modern to me, although it's an old piece from when I just started collecting. I'm trying to cut the collection down to the better pieces, donate the older or less valuable ones, so dragged it out today.

Any info on mark and age appreciated. Thank you, Kaaren

[peterp]

I can only help a tiny bit with the mark.
飛鳥 Tobutori on the right side, not sure about the left, possible on the right.
The left is usually read Tobutori, the name of the most ancient capital of Japan, but it is used in other names too, where it may have a different reading. The characters on the right appear to be 座心 which can have a reading of 'zashin', but likely has another reading in a name.


Maybe someone of you can identify the mark with the characters 飛鳥  座心 ?

[Kaaren B.]

Thank you, Peter. I will wait to hear from others, also on possible age, and whether hand-painted or not.

I looked up Tobutori and only found a gift shop that mostly sells jewelry, no porcelain.

Then I found Tobe Ware, a company selling "traditional Japanese porcelain" made in a variety of kilns, very simple designs, none that look like this piece.

I will keep looking, too. Kaaren

[Stan]

Sorry, I could not find the mark in my books, but I noticed the double lines around the outside foot  on this piece and the last one you posted, Im thinking that could be 21st century, I can't say that I have seen this before on traditional Japanese porcelain.

[Kaaren B.]

There is a double line around the foot-rim of the saucer to the little Fukagawa pot that I posted last. I thought that one must be modern, too - so perhaps they are both 21st century.

[Kaaren B.]

I found the mark - there was a nearly identical bowl on Ebay - and it is a product of the Andrea Sadek import company, which opened in 1936. Their ware is imported from Japan and China. Company founded in 1936, more famous for porcelain figurines, especially birds.

It must have had a paper label at one time that rubbed off. Mystery solved! This one will go in the donation box I am putting together for Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you for taking a look Peter! Kaaren

[peterp]

I made a mistake with the mark. Thought that the left side consists of two characters due to the height, but it is one, namely 窯 which means kiln. 
The other is one I hesitated to tell because it is a bit complicated even to Japanese speakers due to its historical use. The reading can also be Asuka. It is Asuka kiln. Maybe that helps?


Explanation:
I was aware of this possibilty as Asuka as written in the mark is quite common . It should be the name of the ancient capital of Japan that was called "Tobutori no Asuka", or in short Asuka. But the reading of the characters for Asuka would be the last three in the full name, not the first two: 飛鳥の明日香.
Why this usage came to be is a mystery to me. History...

[Kaaren B.]

Thank you, Peter - you are right, and now it all adds up.

When I looked up the Asuka Kiln, I found wares just like this bowl.

The Sadek company must have imported wares from the Asuka Kiln, so the Ebay vendor's bowl had both the Asuka Kiln mark AND the Sadek company's gold paper label.

My bowl only has the Asuka Kiln mark.

It is so pleasing to have these mysteries solved. Thank you for your help, as always. Kaaren