What does a fluted rim mean?

Potters often shaped the top edge of a vase into a wavy or scalloped pattern. They created this fluted effect by gently manipulating the wet clay after throwing the main body on the wheel. This shape mimics the petals of a flower opening outwards. It provided painters with a complex surface to decorate and helped scatter the light across the rim, making the piece look far more dynamic.

I inherited a massive pair of these from my grandmother and they have these little holes drilled right through the base, why is that?

Many large antique vases were converted into lamps during the early twentieth century. Electricians drilled straight through the porcelain bases to thread the necessary wiring up to the bulb fittings. Dealers often find the metal lamp mounts removed by later owners wanting to display them as vases again. The hole remains as a permanent modification to the original form, meaning it won't hold water.

How are garniture sets arranged?

A standard garniture typically consists of three or five matching vessels. You line them up symmetrically. A covered jar usually takes the centre. Flanking vases sit on either side.

My vase has a lot of little blue marks on the bottom that look like a square with writing inside, what do they indicate?

You're likely looking at a painted reign mark. Japanese potters frequently copied Chinese Ming dynasty marks on their export wares to capitalise on the high reputation of Chinese porcelain. These marks do not indicate the actual age or origin of your piece. They were simply another decorative element added to satisfy European buyers who expected to see characters on the base. Later pieces might carry genuine Japanese company marks. Factories like Koransha used specific painted logos rather than traditional square reign marks.

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Antique Imari Vases from the 19th Century

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These heavily decorated Japanese porcelain vessels typically feature striking patterns in underglaze blue, iron red and gold. Originally thrown to hold floral arrangements, Antique Imari Vases quickly became grand decorative showpieces exported to furnish European country houses.