What is the history of the Delux Japan fine china company?

Answer 1

Marks like this using terms like "Fine China Japan" together with rather general words like "Delux" are not makers marks, they are 'secondary' branding.

Secondary marks are those marks used for the purposes of export sales & marketing, and retail distribution rather than for the purpose of identifying the maker. The maker in these cases did not want to be identified either because there was no kudos in their own name (too small and unheard of) or they were too recognizable (Noritake). Noritake alone used over 400 marks, only some of them obviously attributable to them.

So unlike European marks, particularly UK backstamps, Japanese marks of the 20th Century are not placed on the wares in order to identify the maker and are factors of export sales, marketing and distribution.

The big picture in Japan behind this secondary backstamping is this:- there were many hundred china decorating firms active in the early to middle of the 20th century. These profusion of small makers were putting many different and varied marks on exactly the same wares, again for sales and marketing reasons known only to themselves and their agents of sales & distribution.

So if we look past these random markings on 20th Century "Fine China Japan" and other type of 20th century markings we see what are in the main just ok quality porcelains which remain in great quantity and are therefore can be difficult to sell.

So how to make sense of identifying Japanese wares that have any value? The best way to think about Japanese wares in terms of regional history. For example, Satsuma ware is - mainly from Kagoshima in Kyushu, Arita ware from Saga in Kyushu, Kutani from Ishikawa in Hokuiku etc etc. Best to think in these terms if you are considering Japanese china wares.

Generally speaking, for the time being, my advice is forget about valuing "Fine China Japan" wares, whether it has the word "Delux" or any other randomly selected marketing phrase. Similarly with the "made in occupied Japan" backstamp - as there is limited value, other than mild curiosity, in them until either they become more scarce or the market changes.