Asian Painted 3 Legs Ceramic (Urn?)

[GreenhornGirl]

Hi guys & gals!  This piece is 5 3/8" H, 5" W at the mouth and 2 3/8" at the opening.  I couldn't find any stamps or markings except:  the inside bottom has a possible character; and there's a gold brushstroke on the lid.  I don't have a clue how to go about finding out the date, origin, or maker of this piece, but I'm going to begin researching it & multiple heads are better than 1    Also emailed it to a kind antique dealer I've been in contact with, we'll see if he might know something about it, too.

[KC]

Hi GreenhornGirl!  Welcome!

IN order to help you out...we need to see a pic of any markings.  See if you can take some pics and post of them.  Take them without a flash if the item is really shiny...with natural light!  That should help!

[GreenhornGirl]

Thanks, KC!  Sorry, you beat me to the punch...my computer is slow tonight but here's 4 more pics.

[GreenhornGirl]

The gold brushstroke on the lid is in this pic

[wendy177]

 In my opinion it appears to be Satsuma  type ware,  Satsuma is a type of earthenware made in Japan as early as the seventeenth century. The earliest wares were enameled with simple flowers. By the late eighteenth century a floral brocade (nishikide design) was frequently used. Gold & silver enamels were used as accents by the nineteenth century. Human forms such as Samurai warriors & geisha girls were used to appeal to western tastes by the twentieth century.  In the mid twentieth century, a tremendous amount of Satsuma - type ware was produced for export to the US. Much is poor quality with rather crude paintings. unfortunately your piece seems to fall in this category. Here is an example of very fine Satsuma  ware look closely and you will see the difference in detail - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-Antique-Japanese-Satsuma-Ware-Vases-Meiji-Period-/360386735783?pt=Asian_Antiques&hash=item53e8b92ea7

[GreenhornGirl]

Thanks, Wendy!  I heard back from the antique dealer and he said it's circa 1930s-1940s and gave me a retail value...I didn't know if it was Chinese or Japanese, though, so that does help, thanks!