Japanese Dragon Vase

[bokaba]

9 inch vase with dragons and grotesque faces. Any thoughts? I think perhaps early 20th Century?

[bokaba]

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[peterp]

If anyone should have proof regarding the veracity of this mark, please post details here.
In my view this mark is doubtful, for the following reasons:
1. The character ? is not commonly used in modern Japanese, although it could exist in names. However, ??? could more likely be Chinese, hardly found in Japanese. It could be an old name that uses characters, not used anymore, otherwise.
2. The characters for Satsuma are ??; here the second character is replaced by a non-existent simplification. Non-existent means it does neither exist in Japanese nor simplified Chinese.
It could be that this is simply a mistake. It is not common to simplify characters this way in Japanese, however.

[bokaba]

Peter, I think it reads Choshuzan or Nakashuyama, which is probably a more modern reading. My Japanese Kanji skills are limited. This mark is on the Gotheborg site as Meiji Period.

gotheborg.com/marks/satsuma.shtml

[peterp]

The first reading is more likely. It seems easier to get information in English. When I tried to find information in Japanese, I found only one website mentioning it in more detail. As usual, however, I want to emphasize that these, like Gotheborg, are non-verified data.

It says the actual location is currently unknown. It further says that Choshushan to the "old Satsuma" brand belongs, it shows the same mark characters (including the strange one mentioned), except for the third and second last characters.
I got the impression that it is not known actually where these ceramics were made, and that its location should be related to the actual Satsuma, as the 'real seal' of "??????" is mentioned in the mark.  It says these wares were exported, apparently in the Meiji period.

[bokaba]

Perhaps we'll have to wait for Stan to help us out.

[Stan]

Sorry I can't add anything concerning the name, I could not find anything in my books, but looking at the ones on Gotheborg's site under Choshuzan, the ones on his site has a typical ivory crackle color and the bottom foot has a typical flat rim on the bottom, I can't really tell if the foot on your vase is flat or rounded on the bottom and the glaze looks much to white, it could just be the picture, but as for the rest it looks good to me, I would date it late 19th century, another good find.