Japanese Seto Zo / Sei

Japanese Meiji (late 19thC-early 20thC) porcelain plate. Seto ware (Seto Zo)

Strictly speaking Seto ware is stoneware pottery produced in and around Seto in Aichi Prefecture in Japan and it was the location of one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. This type of ware was made from 12th/13th century and continues to be made up to this day.

The porcelain plate is factory made from the Seto area but is nothing like traditional Seto pottery and indeed setomono is used as a generic term for factory produced pottery in Japan.

The teabowl below is one of the typical styles of Seto-yaki and is known as Ki-Seto (yellow Seto). It was made by Sho Kato (1927 - 2001), who was an Intangible Cultural Property of Aichi Prefecture.

Indeed. This is Seto Sei from the much later Meiji period, made in the Seto area of Japan.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175077504243869172/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175077504243869167/

Good morning everyone, I am wondering if you could possibly help? I bid at auction for the first time. These two jugs were part of the lot. They appear to be matching and hand decorated but I have no idea as to their origin. There's a mark on the bottom but I can't tell what if says. I am wondering if they're Japanese? Thanks a lot.

The mark is a couple of kanji characters and the style looks Asian but I’m not sure if it’s Japanese or made in one of the smaller countries like Korea or Thailand. If you can get a clear image of it by pencil rubbing or smearing marmite over it then you could try matching it to the marks on the Gotheborg website of 20thC Chinese and Japanese Marks. I don’t think they are particularly old; latter half of the 20thC maybe. Although the form might be earlier; they tended to pass the styles down the generations.

Thanks a lot for your reply, it's really helpful. I'll try a pencil rubbing!

Moved to ID My Pottery as it's not been identified yet

Found some similar ones by searching on Japanese celadon porcelain:
Seto Celadon, Late Meiji (beginning of the 20thC) onwards

Hi Naomi, I think you are spot on. Thanks a lot. There are similar ones online with exactly the same shade of green and a very similar blossom design. The base is also the same and has 12 sides.

I shoud  a bit older thnr you guys because i cant see/read the mark . what i can see is the foot rim;   the half glazed foot rim and the shape of the impressed mark looks odd.
and
There are a lot of fakes at the market so plz be crefull when you seraching on pics and you find similar ones.

Hi Aiko, thanks for your reply. It's not actually glazed on the base, I think it's the light.

i ment the foot rim; normally the bottom of a piece is or celadon glazed or clear glazed; celadon glaze inside footrim is odd
if the bottom is unglazed its most likely a recent piece or a repro i'm affraid

Can I get your thoughts on this one please. I'm thinking 19th century, possibly Chinese but I am in no way certain. Nice duo, but not particularly fine, feels a bit clunky when compared to some of the blue & white pieces from China that I really do like.

Japanese Seto celadon ware. Late 19thC to 20thC. You haven't shown the handle but the cup shape looks 20thC

Thanks Naomi, very grateful.
Bamboo handle, will upload a pic

That looks an early handle so it could be c.1900

Thanks Naomi, your a gem