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Basemarks (Pottery marks)
When researching this topic where information is difficult to find I look for multiple sources. However, even this is frought with danger given the possibility that some of the sources have relied on other sources for their information. I have seen this form of repeated error in other areas of research for my collection. And who do you trust when two or more reliable sources have conflicting information?
I have multiple period wholesale and retail catalogues that hoppefully may eventually shed some light on this study.
Nippon, Japan, Made in Japan and Foreign
Early Japanese export pottery was marked with, Nippon, the Anglicised Japanese name for Japan.
The legislation of the USA in 1921 concerning the marking of imported items with their country of origin can be used to assist in the dating of Japanese export pottery throughout the world. This results from the obvious conclusion that the majority of manufacturers in Japan would not have gone to the trouble of having different polices for marking export items. However, given the cost of marking items, many items exist without any marks. Many countries continued to be happy with paper labels. This may also be the result of accidental omission.
Similarly, the use of "Foreign" or FOREIGN" on items imported onto the UK can be used to place an item within certain dates.
Colour
Contrary to many articles I have read I have found there is little or no correlation between the colour of the base marks on Japanese pottery and the date of manufacture. This is evidenced by many items where the base mark occurs in various colours. Also see below about the registration of logos in Japan. It is possible that potters registered the various colours to stop others from using similar base marks and then had to use the various colours themselves to preserve the registration.
Potters, factories and importers/exporters
I have listed some of the Japanese potters that I have been able to identify when researching the juicers on my website. It must be noted that a significant problem has arisen when reliable sources attribute some base marks to different factories. Perhaps some sources are confusing potters/factories with importers/exporters who often used their own distinctive basemark.
Registration of maker's marks (logos)
The registration of maker's marks in Japan were so specific including colour etc that it allowed for other companies to pirate a mark by doing as little as changing the colour. I am not sugsesting that all the different colours were used by totally different makers.

I have created a page to allow easy comparison of the variety of base marks and base mark colours used on juicers of the same form (same mould). See: Juicers_Japanese_basemark_variants.html

The table below lists potteries, factories and importers/exporters as determined by researching a wide range of books and internet sources.

The following listings are a work in progress, however, sufficient to demonstrate the point that I am making.


Maruhon Ware
This Maruhon Ware mark is listed across the internet, and books, as Maruhon Ware and/or Marumon Ware and/or Maruhun Ware. I think this is a result of a smudged marks or partial marks. I have examples with smudged marks that would easily pass as Marumon Ware because the 'H' is distorted. I have seen partial marks that look like Maruhun Ware because the top of the 'O' is missing and it appears to be a 'U'.
Maruhon Ware has not been attributed to any factory and may be an exporter/importer brand. It is worth noting that some marks have the overlapping double 'V' for the 'W' as seen in Marutomo Ware. This could suggest that there was some form of relationship between the two brands.
Maruhon Ware including Japanese text Cream with tan trim 2 piece reamer Cream with tan trim 2 piece reamer Maruto Mu Ware hand painted  
           
Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Maruto Mu Ware hand painted  
           


Marutomo Ware
This mark is listed across the internet as Maruto Mu Ware. I think this is a result of a labelling on a reliable website. He listed an item where the basemark appears to be "MARUTOMUWARE" and this has been relied upon by others. However I would suggest that his example has a partial mark with the top of the second 'O' missing and appearing to be a 'U'.
Marutomo Ware has not been attributed to any factory and may be an exporter/importer brand. It is worth noting that some marks have the overlapping double 'V' for the 'W' as seen in Maruhon Ware. This could suggest that there was some form of relationship between the two brands.
Maruto Mu Ware Maruto Mu Ware Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Maruto Mu Ware hand painted Alternate Marutomo base mark Alternate Marutomo base mark
           
Alternate Marutomo base mark          
           
           


Hotta Yu Shoten & Co
 
Hotta Yu Shoten & Co White & red dog juicer parts Hotta Yu Shoten & Co Listing of some Japanese makers marks    


Joan Ware
 
         
           


Klimax
 
       
           


Manto Ware
 
Green Mikori Ware base mark on Cream, blue, green and orange on white 7" clown juicer        
           


Maple Ware
 
Blue and white with yellow and red clown juicer          
           


Maruyama Toki
 
Small yellow with green leaves juicer jug base mark          
           


Mikori Ware
 
     
           

Moriyama Mori-machi
 
Moriyama Base mark Blue and red flowers juicer   Japanese rosy cheeks toby jug juicer base mark    
           


Noritake
 
      Pink clown with dark blue cravat juicer base mark
          Possibly the mark used by an outsourced pottery


Rokko
 
         
           


Seiei & Co
 
Pink clown with dark blue cravat juicer base mark    
           


Takito Company
I have located a listing in The pottery & glass salesman. v.26:1-5 AG(1922) indicating that TAIYO TRADING CO. INC was "Successor to Takito, Ogawa & Co. and Tajimi Co. Japanese China, etc. 101 5th Ave. The name, according to the current Takito website was "Taiyo Boeki"
Takito company        
           


Tashiro Shoten Ltd
 
Tashiro Shoten Ltd Tashiro Shoten Ltd
Base mark on Dark brown with flowers 2 piece juicer          

 
 
           
           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese pottery lustre hand painted maker's marks, base marks, backstamps on a juicer reamer squeezer