A reader received this tray as a gift nearly 50 years ago.
Q: Hi, Folks at Kovels Antique Trader,
I have a piece of ceramic/pottery that appears to be hand-painted with roses and has quite a bit of gold leaf. I’ve been unable to identify the mark on the back and was wondering if you could help. Attached is a picture of the mark and a picture of the piece. There are no other marks. The piece is 10 1/4 inches by 8 inches. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
A: We’re not surprised you had difficulty identifying this mark. It is an old and vague mark usually identified as Nippon. However, if you search for Nippon backstamps, this one will not pop up.
The mark on your beautiful tray is a Japanese porcelain mark, specifically that of the Nippon Toki Kaisha (Noritake Company). Nippon Toki Kaisha is translated as “Japan Pottery Company.” The cherry blossom included in the mark was a common motif used by various Japanese porcelain manufacturers during the early 20th century; it symbolizes beauty and the transient nature of life.
This particular mark with the words “Hand Painted” and the cherry blossom indicates porcelain made for export, primarily to the United States, during the early 20th century. Before 1921, the word “Nippon” (the Japanese word for Japan) was common; after 1921, the word “Japan” or “Made in Japan” was required on items meant for export to the U.S.
When I first learned about Nippon and Noritake, it seemed they were one and then two separate companies until I did some research. The following timeline may help untangle the mystery.
In 1876, the Morimura Gumi company began producing pottery. In 1891, it was renamed Morimura Brothers. This company became the Nippon Toki Kaisha company in 1904, and a new factory was built in Noritake, which created Nippon Toki wares. Most of their early products carried one of the many “Nippon” back stamps, which indicated the country of origin on products meant for the Western market. The best examples of these exports were seen between 1891 and 1921, carrying the “Nippon-era” backstamp.
Your tray, an early 20th-century example of Japanese workmanship, could sell for $60 to $75.
Do you have a question for Collector’s Gallery? Send your questions and photos via e-mail to ATNews@aimmedia.com. Please include as much pertinent information about your item as possible, including size, condition, history, and anything else that might help identify and value your item.
Noritake Wall Pocket
Q: This Japanese wall vase was given to my mother as a wedding gift in 1926. It’s 9 inches high. I’ll be giving it to my daughter and would like her to know the history. Can you give me any information?
A: This is a Noritake wall pocket. Noritake was made after 1904 by Nippon Toki Kaisha, a company in Japan. This mark was registered in 1918 and used until about 1940. The “M” stands for Morimura Brothers, a distributing company in New York City. Noritake’s porcelain vases, dresser sets, smoke sets, figurines and other “fancyware” with Art Deco designs and luster glazes were made from about 1925 to 1931. They are very collectible and large vases with elaborate decoration sell for hundreds of dollars.
Noritake Wall Pocket
Q: This Japanese wall vase was given to my mother as a wedding gift in 1926. It’s 9 inches high. I’ll be giving it to my daughter and would like her to know the history. Can you give me any information?
A: This is a Noritake wall pocket. Noritake was made after 1904 by Nippon Toki Kaisha, a company in Japan. This mark was registered in 1918 and used until about 1940. The “M” stands for Morimura Brothers, a distributing company in New York City. Noritake’s porcelain vases, dresser sets, smoke sets, figurines and other “fancyware” with Art Deco designs and luster glazes were made from about 1925 to 1931. They are very collectible and large vases with elaborate decoration sell for hundreds of dollars.
AE Nippon Doll
Q:I’m writing about a 24-inch doll my mother left to me. My mother was born in 1926. The doll’s arms, wrists, legs, and neck are all moving joints. Her eyes close when she lies down, and I believe her hair is real. Her face looks porcelain but I don’t know what the body is. The back of the doll’s neck is marked with the letters “AE” within a rectangle and “Made in Nippon.” I’m hoping you can tell me something about the doll and what it might be worth.
A: “Nippon” is the Japanese word for Japan and was used as a mark on dolls and other items imported from Japan from 1891 to 1921. The words “made in” were added after 1914. This “AE” mark has been attributed to the Allied Grand Doll Manufacturing Company, a company in business in Brooklyn, New York, from 1915 to 1980. The company was also called Allied Eastern Doll Company, Allied Imported, Allied Doll Company, and Allied Doll & Toy Company. It is best known for its fashion dolls. Composition, vinyl, and hard plastic dolls were made, many for other companies that sold them under their own names. The company also made and sold doll parts to other companies. The value of an old doll depends on maker, rarity, size, clothing, and condition of the doll. Look at old dolls at antiques shops and antique malls to see what similar fully-jointed dolls are selling for. With no clothes she is probably worth $25 to $50.
Nippon Vase with Moriage Decoration
Q: I remember this vase with raised decoration of an owl on top of our piano when I was growing up in the 1930s-40s. I’ve had it since my mom died in 1952. There is a faded mark on the bottom with a leaf with “pon” under it and “Hand Painted.” I’d love to know […]
Nippon Cup
Q:I was given this cup and saucer by a relative. I am looking for more information about it. My aunt thought that her grandpa gave it to her mom in the 1930s. It’s marked with a maple leaf and the words “Nippon” and “Hand Painted.”
A: Nippon porcelain was made in Japan from 1891 to 1921. After the McKinley Tariff Act was passed in 1891 all goods imported to the United States had to be marked with the country of origin. “Nippon,” the Japanese word for “Japan,” was used until 1921. The English word “Japan” was used after 1921, although a few firms continued to use the word “Nippon” on ceramics after as part of the company name. This maple leaf mark was used by Morimura Gumi, a company founded in 1876. It was used on pottery and porcelain exported to the United States from about 1891 to 1911. Morimura established Nippon Toki Gomei Kaisha (now Noritake) in January 1904.