www.925-1000.com

I have no provenance for this dish, other than it being part of Dad's estate.

9-1/2" diameter; ~1" deep; 272gm; it came in an old, stained, broken-lidded box without any mark ; too big to be original, IMHO.
Well and plainly signed on the image, lower right; jungin mark (I hope) very small roughly centered on the back (may be inverted);
No stand or other support. Hammering distinct on rear, which is smooth; looks to be a spherical section.
The inner surface appears finely 'frosted'; toning (and fingerprints) obvious, particularly at rim area; ordinary tarnish on the back.

If there's a process name for the 'frosting' I'd like to know what it is.
The name of the artist, where and when he worked, and/or any other significant details/history will be most welcome!

Signed by Suzuki Mitsuyuki, active ca 1890s to at least 1910. Sometimes worked in enamelled silver.

At least one known coproduction with Unno Shomin (see http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... min#p82275 )

Some of Mitsuyuki's silver works were marketed by Tenshodo (see http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... odo#p60464 )

Regards,

DR

Again: My sincere thanks, David.

Tenshodo would be/have been a department or jewelry store?

To have such a piece from an artist who was only active for twenty years...over a hundred years ago...seems of particular good fortune.

I wonder how our family came to be in possession of it. No one to ask...they're all gone, sadly.

If only that plate could talk! wlw

I haven't written that Mitsuyuki was active for only 20 years. The date range I posted represents those dates I have been able to ascertain and should not be taken as restrictive.

Re: Tenshodo. Follow the link in the last post or go to "Contributors' Notes," open up the topic, "The Chinese Export and Far East Trade," and then do a search for "Tenshodo."

Yes, given that Japanese twentieth century history is rather cataclysmic, I suppose it it good fortune that this plate wasn't scooped up and melted down during the gold and silver campaigns of wartime, or evaporated in a firebombing campaign. I would think it to be great good fortune if this plate had been handed down through the same family along with some happy annotation of its acquisition.