Japan Marks - Ishikuro Gozo, Ishiguro Koko, Koji

Japan Marks - Ishikuro Gozo

ISHIKURO GOZO (石黒郷三)

ISHIKURO KOKO (石黒香々)

KOKO (香々)

KOJI (香二)
(var. ISHIGURO)
Meiji to Mid-Meiji period

In 1899 Ishikuro Gozo participated in the 9th Tokyo Prefectural Union Competitive Exhibition.

In 1904 Ishikuro Gozo participated (exhibited in porcelain ware) in the St. Louis Exposition along with other notable artists from Tokyo which included Inoue Ryosai 2nd.

An artist's oil painting of Ishikuro Gozo Gilded Cat		紀念浅草國枝館 Kinen Asakusa Kunieda Ga
An artist's oil painting of Ishikuro Gozo Gilded Cat		石黒香香 Ishikuro Koko

This gilded porcelain cat with finely hand painted hairlines appears in the book Figural Japanese Export Ceramics and noted with similar seal script impressed signatures shown above. The top seal script translates Kinen Asakusa Kunieda Ga and the bottom seal script translates Ishikuro Koko.

The prostrated cat by Ishikuro Gozo (Ishiguro Koko, Koji) is very similar in shape to the famous Danish artist Erik Nielson who designed cat forms #322 and #332 for Royal Copenhagen in 1901. Around this time, cats from Japan and cats from European makers bear striking similarities in form and shape because they were competeing for the market demand for porcelain animals. I will note here that Kinkozan made a glazed sleeping cat very similar to another Royal Copenhagen #422 cat also designed by Nielson in 1902. The glazing on the Kinkozan sleeping cat looks like Tenmoku.

http://www.goldbach.ch/Sammlung/Katzen_Copenhagen.htm

http://www.jamiri.dk/cat.htm#Royal%20Copenhagen%20cats

Kusube Yaichi Moriage Prostrated Cat similar in form to Ishikuro and Nielson

Unsigned, attributed to Ishikuro Gozo (Ishiguro Koko, Koji)
of Asakusa, Tokyo.
Material: Porcelain.
Dimensions: 3.75" Length x 3.25" Widest x 4.25" Height.
Weight: 9 ounces.

Another cat similar in features to Ishikuro's gilded cat is this unsigned cat. Based on this cat's features: shape form and sculpturing, muscular tone, hand painting style, I am attributing this cat was made by Ishikuro Gozo (Ishiguro Koko, Koji).

Cats in the Style of Ishikuro & Ishikuro Kiln

I have also seen other cats in this lazy sitting style very similar to Ishikuro's cat and it may be that a mould was made in the style of Ishikuro's lazy sitting cat because there are intricate detail difference between both cats. Notice the shaping and sculpturing of the ears - they are different between the two cats. It may be that Ishikuro wanted to make another cat with slightly different features just like we see in the sleeping cats. But there are other noticable differences.

A very noticable difference between the two cats is the hand painting style of each cat. Notice how the prostrated cat and the lazy sitting cat above are finely hand painted in detailing - the eyes, whiskers, the hairlines, the nose, the mouth, and other hairlines. These two cats were hand painted by the same artist and when you compare the two cats to the below lazy sitting cat - there are noticable differences in the detailing hand painting.

The lazy sitting cat below is nicely hand painted but it is not of the quality or detailing as the cats above.

The cat shown below is made of quality work but it was not hand painted by Ishikuro but I am attributing this cat was made by Ishikuro kiln.

Most westerners know the artist by the name Ishiguro Koko and he also used the name Koji as noted in the book Sumida According to Us and shown below in his signature. I highly recommend this book for it is the most informative on Sumida-yaki (隅田焼) artists and their creative works of art. The book contains numerous pictures and information.

I am using the proper Japanese name spelling for the artist (石黒) as noted in the Handbook of Japan and Japanese Exhibits at World's Fair, St Louis 1904 written by Hajime Hoshi @1904. Ishikuro Gozo is one of many talented Tokyo artists who exhibited at the 1904 World's Fair. His name is the first to appear under the sub-heading Porcelain.

According to W. Jervis Percival and K. T. Tetsuka, the artist from Shiraishi, Sumida, Tokyo went by the name Koji.

Strangely, Ishikuro is not listed in the Official Catalogue of Exhibitors, 1904 Universal Exposition, St Louis, Division of Exhibits, Department B, Art, Japan section. Nor is there anyone listed under the names Ishiguro or Koji.

1904 Tokyo Manufacturers (Artists)
Ishikuro Gozo listed under Porcelain

click to open pdf

香二 KOJI

This mark appears in "A Book of Pottery Marks" by W. Percival Jervis with Japanese marks compiled by Mr. K. T. Tetsuka. This mark was in use at the time of printing of his book 1897. Noted as mark #10. "SHIRAISHI, SUMIDA, TOKIO (TOKYO). THE SIGNATURE OF KOJI WHO PAINTS UNIQUE DESIGNS IN UNDERGLAZE ON PORCELAIN."

From the book "Sumida...according to Us" this mark is noted as belonging to Ishiguro Koko from Sumida in Asakusa.

Note: Further research is needed to ascertain the identity of this artist who was known by many names. Currently, there is not much information to be found for the names Ishikuro, Ishiguro, Koko, or Koji.

Signature's of the artist Ishikuro Gozo (Ishiguro Koko, Koji)

Meiji to Mid-Meiji period

SEAL SCRIPT SIGNATURES

IMPRESSED SIGNATURE IN CLAY

ISHIKURO KOKO 石黒-香香

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/nemurineko/japanese%20cats/ishiguro%20koko%20neko/ishigoro_koko_mark.jpg

IMPRESSED SIGNATURE ON PORCELAIN PLAQUE
ISHIKURO KOKO 石黒-香香

IMPRESSED URI GOURD SIGNATURE IN CLAY

KOKO 香々

IMPRESSED KOBAN OVAL SIGNATURE IN CLAY

KOJI 香二

BAS RELIEF SEAL SCRIPT SIGNATURE
ON PORCELAIN PLAQUE

KOKO 香々

STAMP SEAL SCRIPT SIGNATURE

ISHIKURO KOKO 石黒-香香

HANDWRITTEN SEAL SCRIPT SIGNATURES

HANDWRITTEN SIGNATURES ON URI GOURD
PORCELAIN PLAQUE

ISHIKURO KOKO 石黒香々

KOJI 香二

KANJI SIGNATURES

HANDWRITTEN SIGNATURES ON URI GOURD
PORCELAIN PLAQUE

ISHIKURO KOKO 石黒香々

References

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History - Artist names and dating.

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