Good books and useful links
This site does not provide the full history of Satsuma pottery. The historical background and development of Satsuma ware can be found on the internet or in books. For those who are interested, some recommended books and helpful links.
GOOD BOOKS
Louis Lawrence. "Satsuma: The Romance of Japan" - Meiji Satsuma Publications 2011
A must-read for Satsuma lovers It is a beautiful edition, richly illustrated with wonderful examples of Sastuma masterpieces, and focusing on backgrounds and culture of Japan. The text is clear, informative and does not get bogged down in details. Limited list of signatures and makers. To read and look at again and again.
Sandra Andacht: "Treasury of Satsuma" - Wallace-Homestead Book 1981.
Offers a comprehensive and richly illustrated overview of (export) Satsuma pottery. No great masterpieces are shown, but for that very reason it gives a good overview of a wide range of Satsuma ceramics produced between about 1850 and 1940. The accompanying text is easy to read and provides pointers for novice collectors.
Gisela Jahn: “Meiji Ceramics. The art of Japanese Export Porcelain 1868-1912 ”- Arnoldsche 1999
Thorough description of the history of Japanese export ceramics in the Meiji period. Many fine illustrations and comprehensive overviews and timelines, and certainly the large amount of detailed information make the book a reference work as well as a standard work. It is probably the best and most comprehensive work in the field and therefore a must-read for any serious collector of Japanese export ceramics.
Thomas S. Kiernan: "The Best Book on Satsuma: Over 300 Marks and Signatures" - Kiernan 2008.
A nicely edited book with background information on Satsuma and a brief description of the examples shown. In addition, it comes with a handy booklet for quick reference on location. The emphasis is on the comprehensive overview of Satsuma makers' names and signatures, and some tips on how to read Japanese names, or at least recognise them. Incidentally, the marks depicted are not actually from Satsuma products, but were made especially for this edition, which adds to the recognisability of the kanji, but does not always show the diversity (from sloppy scribbles to very sophisticated calligraphy) of the signatures. Either way, it is the most comprehensive overview in print of Satsuma marks and names. The best book on Satsuma, however, it's not.
Irene Stitt: "Japanese Ceramics of the Last 100 Years" - Crown Pub 1975
A good but general overview of Japanese ceramics, from the Meiji period through the postwar years, roughly up to 1975, the year of publication. So not only Satsuma, but also Kutani , Arita, and Nippon ware are covered. The illustrations are mainly in black and white, which means that much of the beauty of Japanese ceramics is lost. This is more than compensated by the text, which certainly contains a lot of information on the history of Japanese ceramics in general and export ceramics from the Meiji period in particular, the variety of styles and the development of production techniques. It therefore has much to offer the interested reader.
Maria Penkala: "A survey of Japanese ceramics: A handbook for the collector" - Interbook International 1980
As the title suggests, it is a handbook for collectors of Japanese ceramics, i.e. not just Satsuma. Although it also contains a large number of full-page illustrations, most of them unfortunately in black and white, the book does not focus specifically on the aesthetic or technical side of Japan ceramics. What stands out is the heavy focus on cultural matters such as tea ceremony, Buddhism, and symbolism. The illustrations to these, while not fantastic, are illuminating and moreover comprehensive. Overviews with many dozens of family crests and associated surnames, symbols and their meaning and many occurring decorative patterns, as well as a timeline of relevant events make the book can also serve as a reference work..
Nancy N. Schiffer: “Japanese Export Ceramics 1860 1920”- Schiffer Publishing Ltd 2000
A beautiful edition with many hundreds of photos in colour make this book to be appreciated mainly as a viewing book. The introductory texts are relatively limited and the descriptions of the photos are also not very detailed and add little to the beautiful objects themselves. Many objects have prices listed, but these obviously date from before the turn of the century and are therefore not very up to date. The objects are categorised by type of origin (Satsuma, Imari, Horado, Kutani) and within them by form (figurines, plates, vases, ) and decoration (animals, flowers, boys, bijins etc). This is certainly useful, and always interesting to see the differences and similarities within such a category. Anyway, a nice picture book that won't get boring any time soon.
Oliver Impey, Malcolm Fairley: “Treasures of Imperial Japan. Ceramics from the Khalili Collection”, Kibo Foudation 1994.
Catalogue of a ceramics exhibition at the National Museum of Wales, featuring nearly 100 masterpieces from the Khalili collection. The Khalili collection of Japanese artworks from the Meiji period can only be compared to the collection of the Japanese imperial family, and it shows in the nearly 100 works on display. All of them masterpieces, including many Satsuma works by masters such as Kinkozan, Makuzu Kozan and Yabu Meizan. The introduction is clear and thorough, but the many masterpieces will make enthusiasts look at the book many times over.
Hazel H. Gorham: “Japanese and Oriental Ceramics” - Tuttle Publishing, 1971.
A comprehensive standard work with much and detailed information on the history, aesthetics and technical aspects of Japanese ceramics and the Chinese and Korean ceramics to which it is indebted. Pottery from Seto, Imari, Kutani, Kyoto and Tokyo are covered in detail, as well as their makers and the style in which they worked and the cultural context in which it originated. It also gives collectors and dealers some guidance on how to assess Japanese and Oriental ceramics. The book is richly illustrated with black-and-white drawings and the large amount of information is easy to find through the expanded index, which certainly makes it serve as a reference work as well.
James Lord Bowes: "Japanese Marks & Seals in Literature and the Arts" - Shambhala Publications Inc 2001 (fascimile print from 1882)
A classic reference work from 1882, but still a source of knowledge for serious collectors and scholars of Japanese art and literature. First published in London in 1882, it is the first work to explicitly focus on deciphering and making accessible to a Western audience the brand names and makers found on pottery, printed books and handicrafts such as lacquerware, metal and ivory . It has over a thousand illustrations of marks and seals, and includes charts of both zodiac cycles and reigns. Because this is a fascimile edition, it contains some blurry pages, poor graphics, and erroneous markings. The book is free of copyright, and is available in print, published by various publishers. It is also free to download from the internet archives:
Free download here: Bowes Marks
Edward S. Morse: " Catalogue of the Morse collection of Japanese pottery," - Cambridge 1901.
This book, free to download, is anextensive description of the Morse collection in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, with over 1500 potters names. A reprint of the book is available, published by Newbury Books and Antiques. It is also free to download from the internet archives:
Free download here: Morse catalogue.
Edward S. Morse: "Japan Day by Day, 1877, 1878-79-1882-83." - Boston 1917.
This book reads like a comprehensive time travel through Japan in the Meiji period. Detailed description with lots of illustrations of really every aspect of daily life: people, language, games, houses, food, children, country life, art and theatre, it's all in there. You can wander back in time and place, which is probably a good reason to buy a recent reprint, published by "Forgotten Books, U.K.-2022", for little money. However, it can also be downloaded for free from the internet archives:
Patricia J. Graham: ”Japanese Design. Art, Aesthetics & Culture.” -Tuttle Publishing, 2014.
This book captures the rich cultural context within which art and design , as reflected in almost every aspect of everyday life in Japanese society can be understood. Visitors to Japan will recognise it: the intense attention and care with which even a bag of sweets is wrapped in front of you, or the aesthetics with which even a small piece of backyard garden is landscaped. It only enhances your appreciation of the craftsmanship, patience, simplicity and precision of really good Satsuma pottery: it makes you understand the mental state from which, embedded in the Japanese religious traditions of Buddhism and Shinto, these masterpieces could be created. It also makes you understand how far from this Japanese aesthetic much of the mass-produced export Satsuma is, and is even considered a "betrayal" of it.
Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum: "Satsuma" - Exhibition catalog , 2015
A beautiful hardcover book, this catalog of the 2015 Satsuma exhibition held at the Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum in Kyoto, brimming with beautiful color illustrations of the very attractive Kyo-Satsuma, the pottery in the Satsuma kinrande (gold brocade) style that was produced during the Meiji era in Kyoto. The text is in Japanese, but has an English preface and the items on display also have an English designation. The rest of the text is in Japanese, which with all the translation apps these days need not be an objection. Besides a description of the items on display, the catalog includes a time table and an extensive list of brief biographical information of Kiyo-Satsuma artists working in Kyoto during the Meiji era. In addition to the information, it is a book to look at and admire countless times, and for collectors perhaps to yearn to own it, although unfortunately it is unattainable for most.
Experts and collectors
presents a comprehensive overview of antique Chinese and Japanese porcelain, offering information about historical background, marks and makers and a glossary of terms. A not-for-free consultation for your Satsuma ware is available.
http://litaxulingkelley.blogspot.com
presents a list of antique and modern Japanese porcelain marks and a glossary of Japanese ceramics terminologu.
is a very extensive website on Kutani ware, both antique and modern, and gives you the opportunity of identifying marks and makers names by using their database (not for free)
specialises in Japanese printmaking, offering you hundreds of beautiful prints, and a database of more than 650 artist names and signatures. While not Satsuma or even pottery, interestingly enough, motifs from prints can also be seen on Satsuma. Many printmakers started decorating on ceramics in the late 19th century, when demand for woodcuts collapsed due to photography and better reproduction options. Even without that relationship, it is simply a pleasure to look at the many prints, almost always accompanied by clear descriptions.
hosts the Asian Arts Forum, a private forum owned by Asianart.com dedicated to questions and discussions of Chinese and Japanese art and inscriptions, South Asian Art, and Asian Art in general. Visitors will see that the forum is frequented by several knowledgeable scholars, dealers and enthusiasts who are willing to share their knowledge.
http://www.jameelcentre.ashmolean.org
The collections of Oriental art at the Ashmolean ( the Oxford University Museum) include about 30,000 objects including ceramics, textiles, sculpture, metalwork, paintings, prints and other decorative arts. The collection is mainly from Asia and the Middle East and spans more than 5,000 years of cultural and artistic development. It takes some puzzling to get where you want to be in the On-Line gallery: go to Room 36 ( Japan from 1850 onwards with the most important technical and creative developments in the arts and crafts of Japan after 1850) and Room 37 (Japan 1600-1850, with art of the Edo period, from porcelain to lacquer and painting.
The Rengetsu Foundation is dedicated to the life and work of famous Buddhist nun, potter, poet and painter Ogataki Rengetsu and aims to make it accessible to a wider audience. In this, it has certainly succeeded. The website provides an overview of Rengetsu's beautiful painting, pottery and poetry and a description of her life that was marked by adversity, self-sacrifice and an enduring search for the essence of existence. Above all, the Rengetsu Foundation cannot be praised enough by publishing on its website all 887 of Rengetsu's difficult-to-read poems (because they were calligraphed in her own style), both in Japanese and romanised Japanese and with English translation. A wonderful tribute to Rengetsu and her work, precisely because of the complete contrast with the exuberant Kyoto Satsuma, which was on the rise at the end of her life (late Edo, early Meiji period).
https://www.khalilicollections.org/japanese-art-of-the-meiji-period/
Compiled by Professor Sir Nasser D. Khalili, the Khalili collection comprises a total of about 35,000 of the finest Islamic and Oriental artworks in the world. Japanese art from the Meiji period is part of this huge collection and its number and quality can only be compared to the collection of the Japanese imperial family. It's a wonderful experience to wonder through the online museum and see what it can offer you.
This website, which serves as a "Japanese Pottery Information Centre", was set up by Robert Yellin, owner of the Kyoto-based gallery Robert Yellin Yakimono (https://japanesepottery.com/). He specialises in both antique and contemporary Japanese ceramics, but the emphasis is clearly on the work of contemporary artists. It is a wonderful website that offers a lot of information on potters, locations, styles and terminology and basically everything to do with Japanese ceramics. The topics can be clearly found in the "who's who" and "what's what" sections, and there are also numerous references to museums and exhibitions and a blog (www.e-yakimono.blogspot.com) with monthly updates. The website offers relatively little information about Satsuma, but is still very enlightening for a better understanding of it, as Satsuma is of course also part of Japan's rich ceramic history. Informative and worth reading.
A website with many interesting articles on Japonism, Kinkozan, Morimura Brother, Noritake and more by Canadian collector John Henley. The articles can be dowloaded as PDF flies.
JAANUS is the on-line Dictionary of Japanese Architectural and Art Historical Terminology compiled by Dr Mary Neighbour Parent. It contains about 8000 terms relating to traditional Japanese architecture and gardens, painting, sculpture and art historical iconography from about the 1st century AD to the end of the Edo period (1868). The descriptions of the terms have been collected over a 20-year period from specialised sources and scholarly publications, some of which have never before been published in English. It is highly accessible: all Japanese words in the definition are romanised and marked with Japanese characters, and there are references in the text to a separate entry elsewhere. It is a brilliant achievement, which can be very deepening for interested readers
http://modernjapanesepotterymarks.blogspot.com/
"Modernjapanesepotterymarks" is the blog of a n American ceramics enthusiast, who manages to convey her enthusiasm for Japanese ceramics to readers. As such, it is more than a website about marks and brand names, although that is amply covered. These are embedded in accompanying information about potters, decorators, style and history, the various kilns and terminology. Moreover, the information is told from a personal narrative (the writer has lived in Japan for a long time and regularly goes back in search of new finds). As a result, the blog, which has been around for more than 10 years, reads like a journey with many stopovers. You can get off at any stop and see what it has to offer. An interesting blog and written with a lot of love for Japanese ceramics.
A beautiful website, originally set up by the American historian Anthony J. Bryant, who specializes in Japanese history. After his death the website was continued by friends and former students. The website covers many aspects of Japan, and is instructive, concise, yet thorough. From clothes, to language and etiquette, and from heraldry to even a complete treatise on the Ryori Monogatari, which is considered to be one of the foremost food books written in the Edo period. A wonderful website for anyone who likes Japanese history.
Kanji tools, appraisers and databases
Jisho.org is a very useful online English/Japanese dictionary. You can look up words with kanji or other Japanese script, as well as search for the Japanese translation from English. It also includes a comprehensive kanji dictionary, describing all possible readings, radicals, stroke numbers, variations and more. Within Jisho.org, you can also specifically search whether a particular combination of kanji yields an existing Japanese name, and get an indication of whether it is a family name, a first name or a place name, both with KUN/reading and On/reading. Use a #names extinction behind the kanji ( for instance : type “明山 #names” and you get a list of possible names as Akayama, Meizan and Meiyama). This is obviously very useful if you have been able to decipher the kanji of a brand, but don't know which name belongs to it.
https://kanji.reader.bz/en/tegaki/
With kanji.reader it is possible to "copy" an unknown kanji on the computer, correcting small errors (eg in the case of an unclear written character). It just gives multiple possibilities of the kanji similar to the one you drew, and after selecting the right one, it gives you a translation and a name. Of course you can also copy the found kanji and search for names on Jisho.org, which is better in that respect. While jisho.org also has the ability to draw kanji, Kanji.reader is a better option as it is more accurate and offers more alternatives. However, together jisho.org and kanji.reader provide a good way to convert an unknown character into a Japanese name, even if you are not familiar with Japanese at all.
https://www.japanese-ceramics.com/
This "Dictionary of Japanese Potters" is, with 3,600 names and 8,000 images of marks, the most comprehensive database of Japanese potters available on the Internet. You will find, besides much general information on Japanese ceramics, a short biography of the makers and examples of their signatures, which is very welcome for anyone interested in Japanese ceramics. Much of the information relates to contemporary ceramists from the Showa and later periods, but it certainly includes masters from the Edo, Meiji and Taisho periods as well. The number of Satsuma makers is relatively small, but the big names like Chin Jukan, Miyagawa Kozan, Kinkozan, and Yabu Meizan and the various generations therein, are of course not missing. The biographies are open to all, access to the brands requires a subscription (US$5 a month, which is all reasonable and worthwhile).
For anyone who wants to know a little more about the value of a Satsuma property, it is possible to get an estimate online. There are many valuers who offer their services for a fee, and record this in a valuation report for insurance or household settlement, for example. The quality of such a report is not always guaranteed; not every appraiser has extensive knowledge of Japanese antiques combined with current market prices. Larger auction houses such as Sotheby or Christies do have such specialists. However, they will only give a free valuation if your Satsuma is of sufficient quality to be auctioned by them. If it is not, you will receive a rejection and no further information. Should your Satsuma object be "auction-worthy", you are not bound by this; the valuation is free of charge and without obligation. You can find the procedure for online valuations at most auction houses, large or small, on their websites.
Should you want a valuation report for a modest $28 per item that offers some assurance that it has been prepared by an expert, Valuemystuff.com may be an option. The Japanese art specialist, I read on their website, was attached to Sotheby's Japanese art department and director of Bonham. Either way, you will get a description of your Satsuma object, and an estimate of its value, even if your item turns out to be of lesser quality. Do try to get assurance in advance that your Satsuma is of sufficient quality to invest in it. Unless, of course, you only want to know what you actually own, for instance because it is of emotional value and you do not intend to sell it. In that case, it may be worth a try.
Dealers and auction houses
The primary function of all major auction houses and top art dealers is to sell. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to expand their Satsuma collection through high-end auction houses or antique dealers. Still, they are useful sources of information, as their online catalogues contain beautiful photographs of the best Satsuma has to offer, usually accompanied by a detailed and accurate description of the maker, the object itself and the time in which it was made. Moreover, the auction houses also show the achieved results or the appraised value of the lot in question, or in the case of art dealers, the asking price. So it gives some insight into common market prices for good Satsuma, but apart from that: it is always an extremely pleasurable activity to see the diversity and beauty of truly high-quality Satsuma passing by on your screen.
Besides the actual websites of auction houses, there are also search engines for art, antiques and collectibles that present (past and upcoming) auctions from hundreds of auction houses or the offerings of good antique dealers from all over the world. Most also give you an idea of the value by estimates or sale price. However, not all information is revealed without a sucscription. In any case, it does offer you a huge amount of images of mostly good quality Satsuma pottery.
Auctionhouses and search engines for auctions
Art dealers and search engines for art
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