Kozan) Vases Japanese, [Meiji] Period, Makuzu Kozan, 1842-1916, commonly called Makuzu ware, gilt and enameled banding, bodies with overall naturalistic texture depicting waterfalls in mountain landscapes with three-dimensional figures and treed outcroppings, pools with dragons, caves; the other with tiger, impressed artist's mark and extensive calligraphy; translation 1 from underside: "Japanese Imperial year 2537-Fall. Tokyo Ueno Prepared for Exhibition. Kozen - The 2537 year was 1877, 10th year of the Meiji era. Exhibition fall of 1877. Ueno is ward in Tokyo; Translation 2 - Kanegawa, Yokohama, OTA. Foothils of Fuji. _____ ware. Makuzu Kozan. Kozan had his pottery studio in Ohta, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, though it says Fuji on this piece. The two characters to express Fuji are different from Mt. Fuji, both 22 x 9 in. losses to gilt and enamel at top rim with small flake repair, bodies with minor losses, both lacking applied cave elements (likely three-dimensional figures), interior of cave with traces of black resin, losses to hands of standing figure on one, both drilled for lamps with fittings available. Notes: Kazan was one of the most important artists of the Meiji period and the second ceramic artist to be designated an imperial court artist. His high-relief decorated items became very popular with the Western market in the 1870s and known as Saikumono, this showy and colorful type of ware, a great success in international exhibitions and examples of this type were aimed at the more extreme end of the high Victorian taste. losses to gilt and enamel at top rim with small flake repair, bodies with minor losses, both lacking applied cave elements (likely three-dimensional figures), interior of cave with traces of black resin, losses to hands of standing figure on one, both drilled for lamps with fittings available