any idea on the age and marking?

[tattooedmomma]

brass and copper with engraved signature

[tattooedmomma]

Marking

[cyberdan]

brass and copper with engraved signature

Ocasan, (means momma in Japanese)
The writing looks Japanese to me, but what do I know.
I printed out a copy and will let my wife see it to night (she is fluent)

I will post when I can.

[tattooedmomma]

yay! Thanks!!

[tattooedmomma]

Got this email back from bonhams! Super excited! I have emailed them different items over the years and never received a message back like this!!

Hello Ms. Laird,

Actually this looks quite lovely, it is worth having our Japanese department in New York take a look at the photos. I am forwarding them along to Mr. Jeff Olson who is single handedly organizing our march sale of Japanese fine art there AND celebrating the birth of his first born child just a couple of days ago: please allow him at least 3 weeks to do the necessary research but he will contact you directly with his thoughts.

In the meantime, can I trouble you to send an additional email to him directly detailing: where you got this piece, where it is located now, and your complete contact info?

[cyberdan]

This is what my wife reads it as. She is not sure of the top two.


Yanagawa is either a last name or a town name
Sei means product

so roughly means product of Yanagawa

[tattooedmomma]

Great!!! That completes my mystery.. The top 2 translated on another website as Kobe- town Sei- made by

Tanagawa is a famous metal worker! Thanks so much!!!

[cyberdan]

Sei- made by

first my wife said SEI = made by then she came back and said product.

Japanese writing is so complicated. there are 4 alphabets
hirigana, katakana, kangi & romagi (romagi is ABC, the only one I can read)

[tattooedmomma]

Just got this email!!

Our NY office sends their apologies this has gone neglected for so long.
They feel that based solely on the decorative value of the design that this
would bring $3500-4500 in one of our auctions with possible upside potential
if we can identify the artisan. Where are you and this dish located? Would
you be able to bring this into either our San Francisco or our New York
offices for first hand inspection?

[creeper71]

Just got this email!!

Our NY office sends their apologies this has gone neglected for so long.
They feel that based solely on the decorative value of the design that this
would bring $3500-4500 in one of our auctions with possible upside potential
if we can identify the artisan. Where are you and this dish located? Would
you be able to bring this into either our San Francisco or our New York
offices for first hand inspection?

Wow!! you did good!! don't remember what u paid..but you did good!!! cha ching time to sell!!...haha

[tattooedmomma]

15.00

[baylorhall]

Great job!!

[2Minnesota]

Wowwweeeee! That is awesome!!!