Q & A

S. S. of Kamloops, B.C. writes:

I have a pair of (possibly) Ming vases that have been in my family for years. these vases were brought from china by my great grandfather (possibly my great great-grandfather, I don't remember which). They were given as a gift to my grandmother on my mother's side. When she passed away my stepfather ended up with them, I am not totally sure how. When my stepfather passed away, I got them. That was almost seven years ago. I have decided that it is time to have them appraised. I would be most grateful if you could do this for me.

We asked Tim Manley to respond:

The pair of vases are Japanese rather than Chinese. They are made in the province of Satsuma during the reign of the Showa Emperors (1926-present) as the marks indicate. These particular porcelain vases date from the early 1930's and were made for export to the West. They are hand painted and depict typical Japanese scenes of Geisha including the sacred Mount Fuji in the background. An insurance evaluation, assuming that both are in perfect condition, would be between $350.00-$400.00 for the pair.