Wood Fired Pottery Sake Pot - iga or shigaraki ware, Japan

I'm having a real senior moment and although I checked back, and didn't see it, I don't remember if I posted this piece before.
I found this piece last year and it's one of those pieces I'm not sure if I want to keep or not. I have a love hate relationship with it as I prefer American and European pottery
I did enough research to know that it is a sake pot and out of a wood fired kiln. It has a great texture to it..it has interesting markings, too.
It's one of the iffy pieces I would rather not give away out of ignorance if I decide not to keep it

It looks like Shigaraki clay and the mark is what I would expect from a potter working in or around that Japanese pottery town.

Can't say I recognise the mark but I will see if I can find out. Don't hold your breath though.

Thanks...I'm guessing it's like many Asian marks and charaectars...there must be thousands of them. I would like to know the correct name for it.

The technical name for such a mark in my mind is "squiggle". Many marks on this type of work are not old Chinese character marks (or derivatives) that you find on the majority of Japanese pottery.

You are correct that there will be thousands of such marks and it is just a matter of chance that I or anyone else would know the specific potter.

I do have a feeling that I have seen the mark on your pot before but haven't been able to put a name to it yet and may not be able to.

Generally important items of Japanese pottery or other art objects for that matter come with a signed wooden box, which is often of great help because the writing on the box will largely be in Japanese script. Then if you or someone can read Japanese and the writing isn't too untidy you could well get all the information you need. The other importance of the box is that many think it to be an integral part of the object and will not buy a Japanese pot without a box. Therefore your pot is worth less because it has no box, as less people would be potential buyers no matter who made it.

So what do I feel confident in saying so far: -

(i) It is a wood-fired tokkuri (sake bottle) made of Shigaraki clay.
(ii) It was almost certainly made in Shigaraki (just possibly made in Iga, Japan or the States from imported clay).
(iii) Almost certainly made by a Japanese potter, although a North American potter could have made it, as a significant number have gone over to Japan to become assistants to Japanese potters.
(iv) If you wanted to sell it then putting it on an internet auction site with the title “Shigaraki wood-fired tokkuri” and the images you have used here would ensure that it got what it was worth or possibly even more. Potential buyers like to think they know more than anyone else who might spot it and if it is by an important potter some people looking are bound to know. I sell Japanese studio pottery from my web site and 35 to 40% of my sales are to North America so it is likely to stay in the States if you did sell.

Excellent information! I did a search on an internet hand made and resale site and found as you said, many of this style from both Japan and USA potters. One American potter made almost the exact piece with the same clay that I thought he might be the artist. He did show the bottom and his mark was different, a stamped initial.
I too though I might have seem the mark before which is why I took the chance asking.

I understand your explanation of why the box is is important, too. Thank you very much, studio-pots.....your help is so appreciated!