I would like to start a "master list" of Kamajirushi or "potters marks" of different tea ware items including (but not limited) Japanese potters, Chinese potters, and even our own forum members.
I wanted to start this list to make identifying potters works easier. It's difficult to search for a Kamajirushi on google images!
General guidelines (which are subject to change):
* Feel free to submit as many pictures as you feel necessary, for instance if you have two pieces of pottery by the same artist but both Kamajirushi look slightly different (ex. a bit of the right corner of a stamp did not show up but you have a second item with a clearly imprinted stamp feel free to submit both, or if the Kamajirushi is covered in glaze and hard to make out you can still submit it as long as you are certain you know the name of the potter).
* If you have pictures you would like to submit please make sure they are not pixel-y or blurred and include the whole potters mark.
* It can be a Kamajirushi of a famous potter, an old potter, a new potter, or your own personal Kamajirushi if you make and sell/distribute your own pottery. Please refrain from posting your own Kamajirushi if you produce pottery for yourself but never sell or give away your items.
***If you have a piece of pottery with a mark but do not know whom it belongs to, check the list and if you don't see it please post your own topic rather than ask for identification here. ****
Anyone care to Submit some potters names/marking pictures, please?
Note: My planned format is to have the list/pictures on my comment at the top and everyone can comment below with information Or send Pm.
Re: Kamajirushi List
Master List:
Last name, First name, written description, Photo.
Kato, Eichi - Two intersecting lines (left) and two small chunks removed (right)- https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 7605_n.jpg
Kazuhiro, Arima - Stamp style Kamajirushi- https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 5112_n.jpg
Last name, First name, written description, Photo.
Kato, Eichi - Two intersecting lines (left) and two small chunks removed (right)- https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 7605_n.jpg
Kazuhiro, Arima - Stamp style Kamajirushi- https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 5112_n.jpg
Re: Kamajirushi List
Not to be a downer, but a big help are books. There are a lot of books including information about the history of certain provinces (in Japan, or China) and the main (and less known) potters and artists.
Try visiting the archive.
Try visiting the archive.
Re: Kamajirushi List
Every few months I see people posting a "whos this potter" topic. I thought it would be nice if we had a master list of known potters and their marks, rather than trying to look through an archive.
If all you have is a picture and don't read chinese or japanese, you are kinda scr*wed.
Its not like you can stick a picture of text into google and have it spit out the answer. But if you can someone please let me know 
If all you have is a picture and don't read chinese or japanese, you are kinda scr*wed.


Jan 8th, '14, 04:18
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:
debunix
Kamajirushi List
Books are necessarily a little behind with new or up & coming potters. This list can be maintained in real time.
Jul 19th, '15, 14:44
Posts: 1953
Joined: Apr 6th, '08, 19:02
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Contact:
chamekke
Re: Kamajirushi List
If there is still interest in this ... I wonder whether this might be better tackled in Google Docs?
There are several dimensions that could be captured: photos of kamajirushi on pottery, photos of kamajirushi on tomobako, kiln name, potter name, and pottery specializations (Karatsu, Hagi, etc.). That way if someone has a Hagi chawan by "unknown" they can try to identify their piece by pottery type. (Or even subtype, if someone is known for Tenmoku bowls, but especially their yuteki-tenmoku glaze.)
And for those who don't already know - Robert Yellin has 3 series of kamajirushi pages on his e-yakimono site for Bizen, Karatsu and Seto:
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/bizen-markings.html
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/karatsu-markings.html
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/seto-markings.html
There is also the Gotheborg site for 20th century Japanese porcelain markings (Arita and so forth).
P.S. Can you tell, this is on my mind because I'm trying to identify a certain Karatsu chawan
Pretty sure it's Madara ("mottled") Karatsu, but beyond that I'm stumped!
There are several dimensions that could be captured: photos of kamajirushi on pottery, photos of kamajirushi on tomobako, kiln name, potter name, and pottery specializations (Karatsu, Hagi, etc.). That way if someone has a Hagi chawan by "unknown" they can try to identify their piece by pottery type. (Or even subtype, if someone is known for Tenmoku bowls, but especially their yuteki-tenmoku glaze.)
And for those who don't already know - Robert Yellin has 3 series of kamajirushi pages on his e-yakimono site for Bizen, Karatsu and Seto:
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/bizen-markings.html
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/karatsu-markings.html
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/seto-markings.html
There is also the Gotheborg site for 20th century Japanese porcelain markings (Arita and so forth).
P.S. Can you tell, this is on my mind because I'm trying to identify a certain Karatsu chawan

Jul 19th, '15, 14:55
Posts: 1796
Joined: Sep 15th, '09, 16:11
Location: Wilton, New Hampshire USA
Re: Kamajirushi List
Contact me via PM and give me your email address. I have a potter friend IN Karatsu who might be able to help.chamekke wrote:P.S. Can you tell, this is on my mind because I'm trying to identify a certain Karatsu chawanPretty sure it's Madara ("mottled") Karatsu, but beyond that I'm stumped!
best,
.........john
Jul 19th, '15, 16:40
Posts: 1953
Joined: Apr 6th, '08, 19:02
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Contact:
chamekke
Re: Kamajirushi List
Thank you so much! Will doJBaymore wrote:Contact me via PM and give me your email address. I have a potter friend IN Karatsu who might be able to help.chamekke wrote:P.S. Can you tell, this is on my mind because I'm trying to identify a certain Karatsu chawanPretty sure it's Madara ("mottled") Karatsu, but beyond that I'm stumped!
best,
.........john
