Japanese Igezara Transferware Platter - Cranes

Meiji period (1868-1912) transferware platter. 
 
Dimensions: Approximately 12¼” diameter.
 
Decoration:
The molded rim is edged with the typical brown band.
 
The center is decorated with a scene of a pair of cranes in a plum pine tree.
 
A similarly decorated platter is illustrated in Alistair Seton’s book “Igezara Printed China” on page 106.
 
The reverse is decorated with three sets of a pattern described by Seton as “Peony and Arabesques”, and bears a kiln mark Yamatoku, which are two very stylized kanji translated “Mountain Virtue”. 
 
The foot is encircled by three blue bands, and there is another blue band under the rim.
 
There is also a spur (kiln support) mark from firing, which is typical of this ware.
 
The piece is heavily potted, as is the case with Izegara wares.
 
"Igezara" is a term applied to heavy, durable, everyday porcelain produced in Japan from near the end of the Edo Period (mid 1800's) until early Taisho (early 1900's), although the generally accepted period for Igezara wares is 1880 – 1910. 
 
Izegara ware was produced in Arita, Saga in Kyushu, and Gifu. 
 
Unlike fine porcelain like Imari and Kutani that are hand painted. “Igezara" items are transferware, produced by transferring designs initially created on copper plates, similar to transferware produced in Staffordshire England at the beginning of the 19th century.
 
"Igezara" was mass produced for everyday use and made primarily for the Japanese market. Accordingly, it is usually thickly potted so withstand wear and tear of daily use. 
 
Most typically, the pieces have a brown edge around the rim and the rim itself has “pie crust” ridges molded into it.
 
The name "Igezara" comes from two Japanese words:
"Ige" means "notch or thorn" and the term refers to the pie-like indentations often found around the rim of many plates. "Zara" or "sara" means "plate" in Japanese. 
 
References: 
Seton, “Izegara, Printed China”.
 
Condition: In excellent condition consistent with age and usage.