Help with a Chinese parasol handle

[rat-tail]

Hi Would appreciate it if anyone could identify the silversmith who made this very charming and highly decorative parasol handle. It just has a single mark. Any details about the maker would be a plus. Many thanks Frank

[davidross]

The mark reads "jungin" ("pure silver"), pointing to Japan.

One possibility is Nomura, a major Meiji-Taisho maker known for high-relief floral designs on tea sets, bowls, and vanity sets. As far as I know, Nomura's work was always signed 野村  ("Nomura-made"), but the parasol may have been part of a set in which only some pieces were signed by the maker.

Without a maker's mark, it is impossible to make a definite attribution. Searching for examples of Nomura's work might turn up a signed piece with this design.

Sorry that I can't offer a better lead.

[dognose]

Hi David,

Is this Yozo Nomura of Samurai Shokai? If so, a little more detail can be found at: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=24259&p=59512

Trev.

[davidross]

Hello Trev

Yes, one and the same, Nomura Yozo (野村洋三).

Here is an image of his maker's mark (which needs to be rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise and read vertically), to the right of the "jungin" mark, of course.


Best regards

David

[dognose]

Hi David,

Many thanks for the confirmation.

Is it possible that you could post a larger version of the mark, for addition into the Far East info topic.

Regards,

Trev.

[davidross]

Hi Trev

This should be better



Please do include Nomura's mark in the Far East info topic.

Cheers
David

[dognose]

Excellent David, many thanks.

Regards, Trev.

[rat-tail]

David many thanks - much appreciated
regards Frank

[rauls]

The parasol handle has a typical Japanese enamel silver pattern which was never used in any Chinese silver. :)

[patgc]

Dont know if you still have this item, but I have a similar handle, slighty diferent shape but same decoration of hanging wisteria and on mine it has the Jungin mark and the word MUSASHIYA who I believe are Japanese makers from Yokohama.

[davidross]

Yes, Musashiya was one of the better makers of the same period, so it certainly could be their work.

Would it be possible to post photos of the parasol handle and the Musashiya mark?

Regards,
DR

[patgc]

David, hopefully one of the handle and one of the mark.





Pat

[patgc]

David, hopewfully one of the handle and one of the mark.




Think thats correct now. Sorry about the previous one.

[patgc]

Am now wondering if that is a 'Jungin' silver mark or is it a makers mark ?

[davidross]

Many thanks for posting great photos of a splendid object.

The Chinese characters are, indeed, a jungin mark.

It looks like "Musashiya" was restruck over a weak first impression.

I am not completely certain that Musashiya was the only Japanese maker of enameled silver, but the similarity between this parasol handle and the first one are certainly obvious. There is also the possibility that the maker of such parasol handles supplied them to more than one retailer.

Cheers,
David R

[patgc]

Yes, I thought it was a restruck mark. You can make out some of the same letters underneath but they are not as 'strong' as the obvious MUSASHIYA. Would love to know who the designer/silversmith was, it is such a beautiful object and have been unable to find another (other than the original one in this thread) on the net. Have found tea services etc but no other handle.