Antique Japanese Satsuma Style Vase Hand Painted Geisha Gilt Meiji 1895–1925 For Sale

Beautiful antique Japanese decorative porcelain vase slightly over 12” tall, featuring richly detailed hand-painted scenes of elegantly dressed women in a traditional garden setting. The vase is finished with extensive gold gilt decoration over a deep cobalt blue ground, with geometric and floral borders surrounding the main panels.

The body has a distinctive hexagonal form with a flared neck and foot. Fine overall glaze crazing (typical of antique Japanese earthenware) is present throughout and consistent with age.

The underside bears a hand-painted Japanese mark consisting of three stylized characters and a circular seal. The exact artist or kiln has not been conclusively identified, so it is being offered as signed rather than attributed to a specific maker.

Features

Antique Japanese vase

Satsuma style

Hand painted figural decoration

Heavy gilt (gold) decoration

Deep cobalt blue borders

Hexagonal form

Signed on the base

Fine age-related glaze crazing

Displays beautifully

Condition

Good antique condition with age-appropriate wear. Typical glaze crazing is present. Please review all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Item Specifics

Origin: Japan

Type: Vase

Material: Earthenware / Ceramic

Style: Satsuma Style

Features: Hand Painted, Gilt, Signed

Theme: Geisha / Court Ladies, Landscape

Color: Multicolor with Cobalt Blue and Gold

Production Technique: Hand Decorated

Age: Late Meiji to Taisho (circa 1895–1925, approximate)

These pieces come from my mother\'s estate and were part of a large, carefully curated collection. She was an avid Antique Collector (mostly books, with over 5,000 books in her collection)—I am not. I\'m doing my best to honor her memory by finding good homes for the items she loved.

As I\'ve been working through her collection, I\'ve realized I know very little about rare or collectible antique glass. I keep coming across terms like crazing, frit, base wear, pontil marks, iridescence, stretch finish, mold lines, inclusions, and many others. To be honest, I don\'t pretend to be an expert. I\'m using AI assistance to help me describe each piece as accurately as possible, but if you\'re viewing this listing, there\'s a good chance you know more about antique glass than I do. Please use the photos as your primary guide to condition. I make every effort to provide clear, detailed images so you can evaluate each piece for yourself.

My mother had a lifelong passion for learning. She earned two master\'s degrees, spent many years at San Diego State University (SDSU) where she retired, and took great pride in building her collection. She was meticulous, enthusiastic, and genuinely loved collecting. As a small tribute to her, I\'ve included a photograph of her in this listing.

I hope this piece brings you as much enjoyment as it brought her and finds a place in a collection where it will be appreciated for years to come.