Complex Cipher Mark, Beautiful Vase - Please help ID

Hi:
I'm relatively new to the world of pottery and the learning curve is pretty steep, I'm trying my best but definitely need help at times. My interest lies in the mid-century modern forms and I love studio work. So far I've been able to ID 80% of the pottery I've found and bought but this latest one has me totally stumped.





It's a beautiful vase, approximately 12 inches tall. Matte blue, with incised details scrolling around. As far as I can tell it is wheel thrown work because I can feel the ridges on the interior of the vase, which is nicely glazed on the inside. (Years ago I did some work on the wheel and I know the very basics of pottery techniques. I believe this is a wheel thrown vase but I could always be wrong.) The work on this vase from a technical perspective is top notch. There is an impressed cipher/ cartouche on the bottom of the vase that is a total mystery. I can't even find anything in the same ballpark. My partner thought it might be Asian in origin, and one part of the cipher could be Asian characters or copying their form but from the first time I saw the mark I assumed it was a purely symbolic artist mark. The vase has a good weight or heft to it. It was purchased in the US but was among the items of an estate that was heavily influenced by modern design - esp Bauhaus - and had many items from both the US and Europe so I can't say for sure this is American studio work. I believe it probably is, but that's just my guess.

Anyway I have attached photos of both the cipher and full shot of the vase. I'd be happy to post more photos if necessary. I do hope someone might recognize this mark or at least provide a lead I can research because it has been driving me crazy and I'm out of avenues to explore at this point. (I don't have a nice set of reference books/materials on pottery. ) I hope I might be able to return the favor down the road in the glass section of the forum where I have a much broader ranges of knowledge and some very specific knowledge on certain manufacturers and designers.

THANK YOU for taking the time to look at my post and I'll be extremely grateful to anyone who can offer info or guidance of any sort.

Direct Links in case I messed up the forum image links
Cipher: https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/97/96/42/blue_v10.jpg

Vase: https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/97/96/42/blue_v11.jpg

Definitely Far East. Possibly Japanese. Might be Korean.
A useful website for oriental marks marks is gotheborg.com

NaomiM wrote:Definitely Far East. Possibly Japanese. Might be Korean.
A useful website for oriental marks marks is gotheborg.com

Hi, thanks for the input!! I actually have been through the gotheborg site - I tried to research everything I could before posting so I wasn't wasting anyone's time with info already out there. I did not find anything similar on the gotheborg site. My problem has been usually the asian marks are incised, not stamped and if they are stamped encapsulating them in an oval isn't common.

My partner things it may be Japanese and part of the cipher could be a symbol for "Mt. Fuji" - but this is just a guess from trying to compare it to other Japanese characters and to say our Asian literacy is sorely lacking is a gross understatement. I hope maybe some one here will have a bit more knowledge when it comes to asian characters and can definitively say if they are Japanese or Korean, etc... or maybe even someone familiar with their pottery might recognize it.

Thanks much for your post, my partner feels very vindicated someone else agrees with him on the mark/vase being Asian in origin.

My problem has been usually the asian marks are incised, not stamped

Most marks these days are stamped, unless they've come from the studio of a 'National Treasure' master potter.

part of the cipher could be a symbol for "Mt. Fuji"

That's common for Japanese pottery.

NaomiM wrote:

My problem has been usually the asian marks are incised, not stamped

Most marks these days are stamped, unless they've come from the studio of a 'National Treasure' master potter.

I should have said, 'or printed' (eg, a lot of smaller pieces like rice bowls have printed character marks).

It's a nice vase, but I suspect it was factory made and retailed by one of the high street chains like Pier or Cargo.

By 'factory' I mean the rural 'cottage industry' potteries that pump out handmade pots at a piece rate for the export market. Their work is excellent because the families have been doing it for centuries, but it's not studio pottery.

The mark is a stylised Japanese mark, which would suggest that was where it was made. It might be comforting to know that these are often not decipherable by Japanese natives either, as they can be symbolic rather than descriptive.

It does appear to have been thrown and turned on the wheel but isn't a typical style of work from a Japanese pottery centre that I am aware of. Therefore I think that Naomi is correct when she say that it was most likely produced in Japan for the export market.

if they are stamped encapsulating them in an oval isn't common

Marks were often in a square cartouche, copying the Chinese emperors marks. But as this is modern Japanese piece they probably didn't see that as being relevant in this day & age.

Found this from the current John Lewis department store catalogue for a similar range of Japanese vases:

John Lewis Ridged Vase, Black

A Japanese-inspired, ceramic vase that is handmade with a stunning ridge effect. This item has been carefully selected as part of our New Japan gift collection. Bringing together many contrasts, New Japan combines pale and dark stained woods, smooth and textured surfaces, pretty colours and inky blues and blacks. Items from this collection work beautifully together to bring a sense of poise and restraint to the home, and make lovely gifts.

You guys are incredible, thanks! It explains why I couldnt find anything similar with all the various online references.

I probably got off on the wrong track because the vase I got with it I had assumed was a 1960's european piece, but ended up being a 1920's American vase. I then assumed I might be working with 2 pieces 40 or 50 yrs older than I assumed.

The wheel work threw me off too because you certainly don't see much of it from Asia - or at least I didn't. Nor was I even sure it was Asian in origin due to due to weight of the piece - most Asian pottery I've seen is quite delicate.

Well, thank you all so much for the posts. It got me motivated to put up 2 pieces of artist signed pottery which I had given up hope on finding anything about because the knowledge base here is incredible and very active.