Original urn much more valuable than reproductions

Q. My great-grandfather purchased an urn in Japan around 1895. It stands 36 inches tall, and the decoration is detailed. There are no markings. It has never been formally appraised, but an appraiser casually said it is not a reproduction. He also said there are so many reproductions of this type of ware that the originals are only slightly more valuable than the repros. The urn is in good condition. What can you tell us about it?A. We are more than a little flabbergasted by what the appraiser had to say. Almost without exception, originals are significantly more valuable than reproductions, and we are surprised that a professional appraiser would make such a statement.Anyway, let us first discuss what this object is and how it was made. In one of the pictures, we noticed a cream-colored edge around the ruffled rim, and this strongly suggests a piece of Japanese Satsuma.Satsuma is an important type of Japanese pottery first made in the early 17th century at kilns in the Kagoshima prefecture, on the island of Kyushu - on the land of the Japanese lord of Satsuma. Korean artisans - captured by the lord of Satsuma after he had tried (and failed) to conquer Korea - created the pottery. Using local white clay, these potters produced light, porous semiporcelain that was a soft beige (or cream) color, with ivory/brown undertones.The glaze on Satsuma pieces is crackled - or covered with a fine network of shallow cracks. These cracks occur because the glaze shrinks more than the pottery itself in the kiln. This intentional effect makes for a wonderful surface on which to apply richly colored enamels.Later, Satsuma-style wares were made in Kyoto, where many of the finest Japanese artists decorated pieces. This type of ware also was manufactured in Tokyo and Yokohama, with the Yokohama items considered the lowest quality of the group.It is our opinion that this particular piece was probably manufactured in either Tokyo or Yokohama, not made in villages associated with the lord of Satsuma or in Kyoto. It is attractive but not of the best artistic quality; it's the sort of thing widely exported to the United States back in the day.The 1895 date seems early to us, and unless there is documentation, we feel this piece is circa 1915 or 1920. We could be wrong, but this decoration is far more typical of the early 20th century.In any event, such a large piece is highly desirable. Some might call it a "floor vase" - it is usually placed on the floor - but others prefer the more romantic "temple urn" or "palace urn" nomenclature. This piece would be more valuable if it were one of a pair or if it had a lid. Lacking these enhancements, however, it has an insurance-replacement value of $1,600 to $2,200.bull; Contact Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson at Treasures in Your Attic, P.O. Box 27540, Knoxville, TN 37927 or via e-mail at treasures@knology.net.