Japanese Porcelain and Faïence
Marks and Seals
A very large number of Marks and Seals are to be found on Japanese Faïence and Pottery. But many of them occur on wares that present no artistic features whatever. The Marks and Seals collected in this list have, as far as possible, been weeded of all that belong to the inartistic and uninteresting varieties of ware.
| HIZEN WARE. | |
| N. B. The Marks from 1 to 97 are usually found on specimens of pre-Meiji Hizen Wares. | |
| 1. | Hōyei ni-reki=second year of Hōyei (1706). |
| 2. | Hō=precious. |
| 3. | Kia-yoku hōtei no chin=rare precious jewel tripod. |
| 4. | Ken (meaningless). |
| 5. | An undecipherable mark. |
| 6. | Takara=precious thing. |
| 7. | Taka (meaningless). |
| 8. | Ko (meaningless). |
| 9. | Yo (meaningless). |
| 10. | Undeciphered. |
| 11. | Taï-Sei kenryu=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Ta-tsing Chien-lung nien-chih (made in the Chien-lung era of the Great Bing dynasty). |
| 12. | Rei ken chin-gan=the ideographs "wonderful representation of precious plaything," arranged round a pearl; and ju (congratulation) in a circular medallion. |
| 13. | Ju=congratulation; an ideograph of which there are many forms. |
| 14. | Kasei nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Chia-tsing nien chih (made in the Chia-tsing era). |
| 15. | Tai-Ming Kasei nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Ta-ming Chia-tsing nien-chih (vide No. 14). |
| 16. | Tai-Ming Banreki nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Ta-Ming Wan-lieh nien-chih (made in the Wan-lieh era of the Great Ming). |
| 17. | Another form of No. 11. |
| 18. | Kenryu no suye tai-Sei nen-sei=made at the end of the Chien-lung era of the Ta-tsing dynasty (imitation of Chinese mark). |
| 19. | Another form of No. 15. |
| 20. | Tai-Ming Sei-Kwa nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Ta-ming Cheng-hwa nien-chih (made in the Cheng-hwa era of the Great Ming). |
| 21. | Seikwa nen-sei=Cheng-hwa nien-chih (vide No. 20). |
| 22. | Another form of No. 14. |
| 23. | Another form of No. 15. |
| 24. | Another form of No. 12. |
| 25. | Waga sonsen Shonzui Gorodayu seisuru tokoro ni narau=copied from the work of our honorable ancestor, Shonzui Gorodayu. |
| 26. | Banreki nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Wan-lieh nien-chih (vide No. 16). |
| 27. | Another form of No. 3. |
| 28. | Another form of No. 3. |
| 29. | Tai-ming Yeiraku nen-sei=reproduction of the Chinese year-mark, Ta-Ming Yung-lo nien-chih (made in the Yung-lo era of the Great Ming). |
| 30. | Gyoku=jewel. |
| 31. | Hei=part of the name Motaishi Heishichi (vide text). |
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