Need help with identifying a name on ceramic pottery bowl

[leareamc]

I purchased this today and was curious if anyone can identify the maker of this bowl? Does this signature and style look familiar to anyone? Also, what is this type of bowl called? Is it a decorative lidded bowl or some type of serving/food bowl?

[melda58]

What's the size of the bowl? Without knowing - hard to answer.  

Rita

[maxine*j]

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@melda58 wrote:

What's the size of the bowl? Without knowing - hard to answer.  

Rita

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Yep.  Could be for anything from a keeper for tiny trinkets to a warmer for super-sized tortillas.

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[leareamc]

It measures 11" wide, 3" deep

[leareamc]

Any one a least know what type of piece this is and it's use?

[melda58]

I would say it's a serving bowl and not get more specific than that.  You mentioned "lidded" but I don't see a lid.    Can you make out the letters in the signature?  Is the first name Tommy?  Is the first letter of the surname Z or is it E?  

Rita

[smiling66]

OP's last photo shows the lid on the bowl.

[melda58]

Oh.  I guess I can see it but it wasn't obvious to me.  

Rita

[waxu_93]

IT looks like japan made.Should be a casserole,

https://image.baidu.com/search/index?tn=baiduimage&ps=1&ct=201326592&lm=-1&cl=2&nc=1&ie=utf-8&dyTabS...

[melda58]

So it's a casserole dish as @waxu_93 said but I'm not sure about it being from Japan.

Rita

[lacemaker3]

I don't think this bowl looks Asian at all.

It looks like art pottery, that is made in by individual artisans in studios (and schools) all across the USA and Canada.

[waxu_93]

Chinese casserole and Japanese casserole have similar uses, but the pattern decoration is different.

Only people ，who have lived in eastern countries for a long time and have used casserole to cook their daily food ，can vaguely feel it.

Of course I'm not necessarily right。