The following treasure is from the living estate of Ailene & Buddy Ford; noted dealers and lifelong collectors of exceptional antique & vintage heirlooms. The Ford estate presents highly valuable items from a diverse group of genres, 95% + in excellent condition. xxxxxxxxxxx. The AEAA is exceptionally proud to showcase this magnificent Ivory white ground biscuit jar, featuring some of the most spectacular hand gilding we have seen in a long time. The theme is a stunning quatra medallion roses floral pattern, and dual row precise gilt beaded bands, and Cobalt accents. The blown out lobed mold has a unique octagonal counter bored seating rim + well fitting lid. blossom and floral festoon gilded accents we have ever seen! This hand painted treasure, is definitely from the second period of the Nippon era, ca. 1908 to 1911, and carries the proper Morimura England registered Komaru (Morimura Clan mark - SEE HISTORY BELOW) stamp. It stands 6.5 x 6.5 inches tall, weighing 1# 12 oz., and is in superb condition. This is truly a remarkable & very valuable Nippon biscuit jar. ! xxxxxxxxxxx. The Maruki straight shaft stamp was the first known rendition of the Morimura Clan mark (sometimes called the Spider Mark), and was seen as early as ca. 1898. Early examples were not for USA export, ergo, many plain, unsigned Maruki stamps were slated for Germany / Austria, and England. By ca. 1910, the Maruki stamp was combined with the Handpainted Nippon designation, and was acceptable for export under the McKinley Tariff Act. The Komaru symbol was said to be taken from the Japanese character KOMARU, meaning overcoming difficulties, and is also known as the Tree Crest Mark, which is the clan crest of the Morimura family. The problem are the dates and form of the marks. According to the Noritake Company, the Maruki mark was designed when meeting the different culture of the west early in the 20th century, ca. 1900+. The Maruki was used as early as 1898, and as late as 1921. Please observe the difference between the Maruki & the Komaru examples. Notice the Maruki straight shaft + the deflected wings, VS. the Komaru pointed spear + the re-curved wings. The Komaru stamp, which was first registered in London England ca.1908, was subsequently seen on American export items as early as 1911. U.S. exports continued until 1921, then the Komaru stamp was used on Noritake items. xxxxxxxxxxx. In 1876, Ichizaemon Morimura VI and his brother Toyo founded Morimura Gumi at Ginza 4-chome, Tokyo. It was a trading company dedicated to exporting traditional Japanese products, as Ichizaemon Morimura VI had been a visionary and supporter of modernization for Japan. On March 10, Toyo sailed from Yokohama for America. In November, Toyo, Sato Momotaro and Date Chushichi established the retail store "Hinode Shokai" in a partnership at 6th Street, New York. Within the year Yutaka had opened a Morimura Bros. retail store in New York. From this earliest period, Morimura sought to adapt quality Japanese art and skilled craft to the needs, designs and market appeal of the American consumer. Morimura did not produce products during this period but exported the creations of others. In 1890, the McKinley Tariff Act was passed by Congress that required imports to the United States to be marked with their country of origin. Nippon was commonly used to identify Japan in part because it is a Japanese word for the country. Nippon signifies only the country of origin and implies no other information. Early Morimura imports would not have been marked, as would any other imports from Japan. From 1878 to 1884 the Morimura brothers operated a china decorating facility of their own, but not a pottery. In Noritake Collectibles, Lou Ann Donahue reports that from 1884 until 1890 Morimura Bros. brought together & utilized decorating factories all over Japan, and in 1891, the Morimura Bros. joined a number of these other Japanese firms, and began potting & selling hand painted Nippon porcelain for 30 years.

XA - P197 - Excellent condition