Japanese Imari Porcelain Figures Set

[wildflowerfield]

Hello,

anyone can tell what the signs of this Set is saying? Are these Japanese Imari?
Is it possible to see from which time period they are? (1920-1950?)

Thank you,
Nicky

[Stan]

Hi Nicky, I could not find the marks in my book on marks, but I can say that these were made in modern moulds, I would put them in the 2nd half of the 20th century.

[peterp]

Ｍoving this post to Chinese Ceramics.

The mark:
義謙堂　龍年製　Yiqian-tang Longnian-zhi (Mandarin reading)
(Ｙｉｑｉａｎ ｉｓ ｔｈｅ ｎａｍｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｂｕｓｉｎｅｓｓ，'tang' is often translated as "hall", literally, but this has a wider transcription, like Emporium, Shop, Store, Studio, etc. That is, it can be business premises, and old type company name, or an artist's or craftsman's workshop, etc.)
Longnian-zhi just means 'Made in the Year of the Dragon'.

This is a known mark, possibly already existing since the Qing dynasty, but this item does not date from that period. Reliable data are difficult to come by, but the business is/wase possibly located in Hong Kong or China.

These items are apparently are some of their products copying Imari style decorations/colors. Looks Japanese but probably isn't. I cannot date this.
(If you use the Chinese mark characters above and do an image search you will find similarly decorated items.)

[Stan]

Thanks Peter, No wonder I could not find it in my Japanese book on marks.

[wildflowerfield]

Thank you Peter and Stan!

[wildflowerfield]

For some reason i couldnt log in with my Data. The System was telling me my username doesnt exist?! I did a new account with the exact same Data ...

[wildflowerfield]

I was doing a research as well, but for some reason wasnt sure - thats why i asked here in this forum.
So is that a wrong information on this website?:

www.schneiblefinearts.com/shop/japanese-asian-fine-art/japanese-big-red-enameled-porcelain-monkey-sculpture-okimono-signed/

[peterp]

--> Except in the main description they say nowhere that it is Japanese. Japanese-style might be more accurate.

Searching both the Chinese language and Japanese internet there is no information that it is Japanese, although it is being sold in Japan.
Some Chinese sources say that the business mentioned in the mark is or was a business/workshop active in Guangzhou since the Qing dynasty. After the communist takeover they moved to Hong Kong in 1950 or after that. Another source says that such items were ordered from Japan. There is much information, but all I write here is from second hand sources. However, the mark is unlikely Japanese because they would hardly use a cyclical year in the mark like this, and the handwriting is exceptionally neat, something that is noteworthy. Japanese handwriting is rarely so easy to read in marks.
There are items possibly from this manufacturer that appear to be from the 1800s, which really look that old, but not Imari style.

Personally, I think the pig (decoration and bottom) might be older than the monkey, and it has more of a Chinese type Imari look.

[wildflowerfield]

Thank you again Peter!

[Stan]

The one shown on Schneible fine arts, shows the inside, which are smooth, typical of moulded sculptures, not very old in my opinion.

[Stan]

Here is a couple of porcelain cats in the same style and marks. Look under "One Unique Imari Porcelain Cat".

[wildflowerfield]

Thanks as well Stan!