I would love some help with this

[Guest Lee Williams]

Hello all,

I've about exhausted my research into a small translation for some text on the base of a vase that was left to my wife and I, by her late mother. I understand she travelled a great deal through the far east pre and post war era. As far as we know she brought it back with her around those dates, but we are not 100% certain.

Can anyone make sense of this ?

VASE

[Guest Anonymous]

Hello all' date='

I've about exhausted my research into a small translation for some text on the base of a vase that was left to my wife and I, by her late mother. I understand she travelled a great deal through the far east pre and post war era. As far as we know she brought it back with her around those dates, but we are not 100% certain.

Can anyone make sense of this ?

VASE

The only part I'm certain of is the character on the bottom left corner. It's 製 zhi which means manufacture, in case this, manufactured by. I'm assuming the three characters on the right coloumn is someone's name while the two on the other side is a place.

[cometrue]

Hello all' date='

I've about exhausted my research into a small translation for some text on the base of a vase that was left to my wife and I, by her late mother. I understand she travelled a great deal through the far east pre and post war era. As far as we know she brought it back with her around those dates, but we are not 100% certain.

Can anyone make sense of this ?

VASE

The only part I'm certain of is the character on the bottom left corner. It's 製 zhi which means manufacture, in case this, manufactured by. I'm assuming the three characters on the right coloumn is someone's name while the two on the other side is a place.

seems it's not chinese, should be japanese, pls mind the xi shan 西山 , perhaps it's a japanese family name. and the right coloumn should be a place name, since i have practiced calligraphy, i know lots of traditional chinese, but i dont think the three charaters are normal chinese, the style is a little strange.

[pazu]

I believe the second character on the right row is 碟 which means "disc" or "plate", but the first character looks strange. I agree with Cometrue that this may be a Japanese-made vase, probably made of pottery or earthenware.

[Guest jekor]

The second line is the easiest:

西山製

"made in nishiyama"

The first line is rather strange, and probably has some old/stylized/incorrect characters.

I can't find the first character anywhere, but it has the general feeling of "I" or "myself". It's similar to 記 ("scribe"), but with a primitive in front meaning something like "someone" or "person" rather than "words". Or it could be a badly mistaken 肥 for "fertilizer" or "manure" ;)...

The second is most likely 磚 (tile). Because of the stone radical it probably relates to earthenware.

And of course, the last is 山 ("mountain").

Maybe you could satisfy yourself with an imaginary title like "scribe tile mountain", "manure brick mountain", or "I tile mountains" ;)

[Guest Lee Williams]

wow thanks guys

This information has put a totally new slant on things. Lots of raised eyebrows etc etc.

Again thanks very much

[confucius]

Here we go with the Antiques Roadshow!

What you have here is a classical piece of Japanese ceramics from the pre-Meiji Tempo period which lasted from 1837-1858.

The inscription on the left is indeed "Made in Nishiyama" and on the right you have the name of the potter and kiln site. Adachi Iwatsugu was a notable potter in Haginoshima-mura and his abundant work can still be found at many antique shops in the scenic town of Gifu in central Japan. This particular piece may have come from one of his kilns working under the local Haginoyaki school of pottery in the area around Nishiyama.

Depending on the condition, typical vases like this are worth approximately US $500 - $800.