Q: I inherited four Satsuma buttons that date from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. I'm not sure where they came from and wonder if they were specially made for a particular family. Are they rare? Any idea what they should fetch at auction?

 

A: Satsuma pottery was made by at least 20 factories in several different cities in Japan. Satsuma has a distinctive creamy beige crackled glaze and is usually hand-painted with flowers, plants, people, or landscapes. Most Satsuma found today was made between 1860 and about 1912 specifically for export to Western markets—not for anyone in particular in Japan or elsewhere. Satsuma buttons occasionally come up for auction and sell in groups of several buttons. Your set of four buttons would retail for about $80 if sold in an antiques shop that specializes in sewing and buttons.