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lbi.letzbuyit · ‎02-11-2021

Is it a vase? Japanese? Chinese?

Measures 12" tall x 5" in diameter.

Notice how "FOREIGN" is spelled.

Thanks in advance!

sonomabarn67 · ‎02-11-2021

Japanese. Possibly the name of their company.

melda58 · ‎02-11-2021

Here is information on the use of the word "foreign" on porcelain and pottery:

https://gotheborg.com/qa/foreignstamp.shtml

I think in the case of your item, the word was handwritten by someone unfamiliar with the English alphabet and mistook the O for a G.

Rita

argon38 · ‎02-11-2021

@melda58 wrote:
Here is information on the use of the word "foreign" on porcelain and pottery:
https://gotheborg.com/qa/foreignstamp.shtml

I've read the link a few times and I find it confusing. What are the "less sophisticated countries" referred to? Isn't the "1893" law in fact the McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 (which is well explained elsewhere on the Gotheborg site)?

https://gotheborg.com/glossary/mckinleytariffact.shtml

Japanese pieces were marked "Nippon" in order to comply with the Act. How would the word "Foreign" have fulfilled this requirement:

"That on and after the first day of March, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, all articles of foreign manufacture, such as are usually or ordinarily marked, stamped, branded or labelled, and all packages containing such or other imported articles, shall, respectively, be plainly marked, stamped, branded, or labeled in legible English words, so as to indicate the country of their origin; and unless so marked, stamped or branded, or labeled they shall not be admitted to entry."

argon38 · ‎02-11-2021

@argon38 wrote:
@melda58 wrote:
Here is information on the use of the word "foreign" on porcelain and pottery:
https://gotheborg.com/qa/foreignstamp.shtml

"Some less sophisticated countries simply marked their goods "foreign" between 1893 and 1923 meaning it was their export product, going outside their own country."

I don't think that date range can be relied upon. A search on WorthPoint for Japanese items marked FOREIGN brings up some objects which cannot possibly pre-date 1923, like these:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/princess-elizabeth-margaret-cup-137968126

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-japanese-geisha-doll-1960s-463561199

argon38 · ‎02-11-2021

Also, how can Japan possibly be considered a "less sophisticated country"? What does that even mean?

c*me*4*lefton*info · ‎02-12-2021

The use of the words less sophisticated indicates a racial/country bias (prejudice) not uncommon (and certainly not politically correct in today's globalized world) at that time coming from Western Civilization countries towards Eastern Civilization countries.

Personally I will not lose much sleep thinking about or worrying about 100 year old prejudices, nor will I or do I practice them at present. But I will learn from past mistakes history has taught us about how narrow minded and prejudiced some people can be and were (and, I am sorry to say, some of the close-minded still are).

sonomabarn67 · ‎02-12-2021

I would say that FGREIGN is a stamp, not hand painted.

argon38 · ‎02-12-2021

@c*me*4*lefton*info wrote:
The use of the words less sophisticated indicates a racial/country bias (prejudice) not uncommon (and certainly not politically correct in today's globalized world) at that time coming from Western Civilization countries towards Eastern Civilization countries.

Personally I will not lose much sleep thinking about or worrying about 100 year old prejudices

But the quote isn't 100 years old: it's from the explanation of the use of the word FOREIGN on the Gotheborg site. And since I'm sure the owner of that excellent site doesn't consider Japan a "less sophisticated" country (then or now), it makes the "explanation" all the more confusing. I don't see how FOREIGN is explained by the terms of the McKinley Act (as it doesn't indicate the country of origin), or understand the relevance of the supposed 1923 cut-off date when there are much later Japanese items (some post-WWII) that are plainly marked FOREIGN.

little.font.lord.leroy · ‎02-12-2021

I wonder if "less sophisticated country" isn't exactly what they meant, but it made it past the "editorial board" any way. I imaging they may have meant "less sophisticated manufacturers" or "less sophisticated makers" which often seems to be the case.

After WWI German exporters used the designation "Foreign" as "Made in Germany" still had negative connotations.

It's hard to say why this company used foreign over Nippon or Japan (if that's where it was from). Perhaps they wanted the retailer to be able to pawn it off as made in China? I wonder, if the country wasn't well known (at that time) and it elicited a Monty Python style response from shoppers "Made in Cambodia? I don't think we like Cambodia, do we now?" In which case it would be the buyer and not the country of manufacture that was unsophisticated.

argon38 · ‎02-12-2021

@little.font.lord.leroy wrote:
After WWI German exporters used the designation "Foreign" as "Made in Germany" still had negative connotations.

That might make sense for post-WWII Japanese items (perhaps they got around the "identify-the-country" rule with stickers which the buyer could remove?). But it makes a nonsense of the 1923 date. I wonder if the mention of 1923 is due to confusion with the switchover from "Nippon" to "Japan" around that time. There's no doubt that many real Japanese items have the FOREIGN stamp:

https://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=%22marked+foreign%22+%22japanese%22&categories=

argon38 · ‎02-12-2021

This appears to be the same mark (嘉山) on a similar-style item (but with MADE IN JAPAN, instead of FGREIGN):

http://www.asianart.com/phpforum/index.php?method=detailAll&Id=88903

It seems to be a name that can be read as "Kayama" or "Kazan." But be careful - there are many pieces by unrelated makers with this name (some quite valuable), so don't rely on them for comparison.