Item Report
Japanese Satsuma Style Porcelain Mug
By: KC (maker's mark, likely an export company; individual artisan unknown)
Style: Satsuma Revival / Japanese Export Porcelain
Origin: Japan
Materials: Porcelain with enamel and gilt decoration
Age: Circa 1950s–1970s
Condition: Very Good (minor wear to gilt handle and rim, no cracks or chips visible)
Value: $20–$50
Maker's Marks / Writing: Red stamp: 'KC' in a box (English letters)
Date: 2025-06-26 17:52:44.050898
Description:
This is a Japanese Satsuma style porcelain mug, distinguished by its hand-painted floral designs with raised (moriage) enamel and gold accents. The base bears a red rectangular mark, which appears to read 'KC Japan' or 'KC Nippon' in stylized English—this denotes a 20th-century export mark, rather than a period Meiji or Edo Satsuma pottery mark. The mug features a brown border with colorful enamel floral decorations, and a gold-painted handle.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This mug is a decorative Japanese porcelain export piece, produced in the mid-20th century, in the Satsuma revival style. While visually appealing and collectible, these pieces were manufactured for Western export markets, making them relatively common. The condition appears good with some wear to the gilding visible, but no major cracks or chips. A word about fakes...: There are many reproductions and mass-produced items in the Satsuma style, but the export mark and general quality suggest this is a genuine mid-century Japanese export, not a contemporary fake or a valuable antique.
Individual Images:
- The image highlights the underside
- showing the red KC export mark clearly. The wear on the base and handle is consistent with mid-20th-century production and use. The raised enamel and floral details are typical of mass-produced Satsuma revival wares. There are no visible cracks or restoration.
Provenance:
No provenance documentation provided.
Condition:
Very Good (minor wear to gilt handle and rim, no cracks or chips visible)
Identification Score: 95%
The distinct Satsuma-style decoration, mid-century Japanese export mark, and typical materials all point to a Japanese origin. The 'KC' mark is seen on export wares of the period, supporting a high confidence in this identification.
Authenticity Score: 40%
This is an authentic vintage Japanese export mug in the Satsuma revival style, but it is not an antique Satsuma ware from the Meiji period. The piece is original as a mid-20th century export collectible, but not a rare or high-value antique.
Image Memory Note
This mug has a KC Japanese export mark and Satsuma-revival raised floral design, likely mid-20th century, not an antique.
Keywords
Japanese, Satsuma style, porcelain, enamel, export ware, KC mark, 20th century, Japan, floral
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