Page 76 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

38 MARKS AND SEALS ON POTTERY.
were known as Kushide ware, or ware marked after the style
of a comb.
mn

KUSHI-DE MARK.
Comb style //litrk.

Another factory in the same province, that of Mika-
wachi, was established by the prince of Hirato the ware
;
made at this kiln, in its best days, was porcelain of the
choicest quality, decorated in the sometsuke fashion. The
pieces were all of small size and were reserved by the princes
for their own use or for presentation to their friends, but
we are not aware that crests or other distinguishing marks
were placed upon them. The favorite subject for decoration
was groups of boys on the finest specimens there are
;
seven and five boys, but only three appear upon less
perfect examples.
It is highly probable that one or more of the Kutani
kilns were directly controlled by the princes of Kaga, for
several choice examples of Kutani ware received in Europe
have been accompanied by the statement that they had
been made at the prince’s factory, and there is a covered
jar in the Bowes Collection upon which the crest of the
prince of Bizen appears, indicating that the example was
presented to him by the prince of Kaga.

CREST OF THE PRINCE OF BIZEN.
The use of crests for decorative purposes is not cus-
tomary it was indeed a common practice during the 17th
;