Chop ID

[GavinG]

I am wondering if the Hive Mind can tell me who these chops belong to? The pots will hopefully appear in a talk at the Convention in Canberra in May.

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Thanks,

Gavin

[wrcmad]

I am wondering if the Hive Mind can tell me who these chops belong to? The pots will hopefully appear in a talk at the Convention in Canberra in May.

1. Choushi & Chinbunkyo (Kowatari Chinese)
2. Izumi Ya (Tokoname)
3. Bigei (Tokoname)

[Ryceman3]

I am wondering if the Hive Mind can tell me who these chops belong to? The pots will hopefully appear in a talk at the Convention in Canberra in May.

1. Choushi & Chinbunkyo (Kowatari Chinese)
2. Izumi Ya (Tokoname)
3. Bigei (Tokoname)

100% agree on the Tokoname pots. Had no idea about pot #1 but have no doubt @wrcmad is all over it. He knows stuff!

[TimS]

Same as Ryceman for me, recognised the tokonames but had no idea in the first one so it’s great wrcmad is here!

[wrcmad]

Appreciate the flattery, but I'm a bit out of my depth with regards to Chinese pot marks. Tokoname is my thing.
However, whilst waiting patiently for Cyclone Alfred to pass, I've had a little more time to do some more homework, I have found only one reference to the Chinese chop.

I'm thus going to revise my initial proposition for these chops to:

1. Choushun (Nakawatari Chinese)
2. Izumi Ya (Tokoname)
3. Bigei (Tokoname)

This puts the date of manufacture of No.1 to 1900-1911.

[GavinG]

WOW! And thank you indeed! That is way beyond my pay grade!

Now, how do you find out about these things, (reference books? websites?) and what does "Nakawatari Chinese" mean? (and Kowatari Chinese for that matter.) And is Choushun a maker, a town, a region or a tradition?

I'll post a photo of the pot later - it's the ugliest pot in the world, but in fact it's an image of the Chinese Toad of Good Fortune. It cost all of $2 at a local estate sale. Matching a tree to it will be decidedly tricky...

And thanks again for the accumulated wisdom. Well done!

Best of luck with the cyclone - it sounds pretty bad...

Gavin

[wrcmad]

what does "Nakawatari Chinese" mean? (and Kowatari Chinese for that matter.) And is Choushun a maker, a town, a region or a tradition?

The Japanese terms "Kowatari" and "Nakawatari" are used to classify Chinese pottery by age.
Kowatari and Nakawatari are the "era's" of manufacture in China.

Kowatari pots made pre-1800.
Nakawatari made between 1800 and 1911.

From what I can gather, Choushun was an old kiln in Yixing, China.

[GavinG]

Many thanks for your fine work.

Gavin