Page 314 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

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276 LACQUER, ENAMELS, METAL, WOOD, IVORY, ETC.

or during the civil wars which raged in that country during
the earlier years of its history.
The oldest example of bronze casting now existing in
Japan is probably that of the gigantic statue of Buddha,
which stands at Kama Koura, where it was erected in
the thirteenth century. Temple bells of great antiquity may
also still be found in Japan, notwithstanding the immense
number which were shipped to this country during the
revolutionary period, to meet with no better fate than to
be melted down as old metal. Few of these ancient works
bear the marks of the founders, nor do the makers of the
exquisite modern bronze flower-vases, and other objects,
follow the example of the potters of their country, in signing
or otherwise marking their productions.
It was different with the workers in iron, who engraved
their names upon the sword-blades and sword-guards which
were made for the warriors of Old Japan, and it was a
general custom, also, with the manufacturers of the mirrors,
which are so common in that country for personal use or for
presentation to the temples, to cast their names upon the
objects they made.
The list of marks and seals concludes with those found
upon Wood and Ivory carvings, which, almost alone amongst
the branches of Japanese art, appear to have withstood the
blighting effect of European influence, and in which works are
still produced equalling, if not surpassing, in beauty of work-
manship and in artistic merit, the best efforts of former days.
The characters used by workers in metal and wood
differ in many respects from those employed by potters.
Saku is commonly used in place of Zo, to express the
words made by or the make of both words have precisely
the same meaning, and are read as tsnkuru when found
in combination with the names of makers.
it

/?'on S‘wo?'i/ Gnai’d.
TSUKURU (ZO).
Made by or the make of.