Elephant Head Mark

 

Q: This Art Deco vase with orange, blue and green stripes has an elephant head mark and “Made in Japan” on the bottom. Who made it and about how old is it?

A: This is one of the marks used by Tashiro Shoten Ltd., a shop in Yokohama, Japan. The company also had a porcelain factory in Nagoya, Japan. It was in business before World War II. After the war, pieces with this mark and the words “Made in Occupied Japan” were made until the occupation ended in 1952. The company closed in 1954.