Can you Help Identify this Small Stoneware Vase with narrow neck and bulbous shape?

by John
(Omaha, NE)

Scroll down to below John's post to see Peter's thought processes on this little vase.

Howdy all!
My name is John and I currently live in Omaha, Nebraska.

I recently acquired a small, glazed brown stoneware vase with what appears to be an Asian name or signature on the bottom and four markings or decorations on the side of the vase that look somewhat like a partial circle with an “x” inside. The mark on the bottom of the vase does not seem to be any Chinese or Japanese character that I recognize or can find, but it does look like an Asian mark, name or signature to me – I could be way off on this one.

The vase in question is between two and three inches tall, and about the same width with a small flared opening at the top. It is glazed with two different colors of brownish glaze. The stoneware is a bit thick as would be expected – not thin like a porcelain vase would be. If I had to guess, I would say that this vase is not that old. The unglazed portion of the bottom seems very clean.

Here are my answers to the questions posed in the post box:

- How did you get hold of this item?
I purchased this cute little vase at an estate sale today (06 August 2016).

- What is its history (if you know it)?
No known history. No one could tell me anything about the vase.

- What have you done already to search for info?
I have done a generic google image search online with no success. I tried the image search five different ways:
1. An image of the bottom of the vase with the large flat side up and the point down.
2. An image of the bottom of the vase with the point up and the large flat side down.
3. An image of the mark only (on a white background) with the large flat side up and the point down.
4. An image of the mark only (on a white background) with the point up and the large flat side down.
5. An image of the side of the vase – a pretty much straight on photo.
I tried to an image search on this site but could not figure out how to do so. I did read through the posts on this site and looking at anything that might be a possibility – again with no success.

- What has been your greatest challenge in finding out about it?
Not knowing what the mark is or how to describe it.
Not knowing if I should be looking in the Asian sections or the signature sections or …

- Your frustrations?
Not knowing what the mark is or how to describe it.
Not knowing if I should be looking in the Asian sections or the signature sections or …

- What will you do with it once you know more about it?
Enjoy the vase and accompanying information all the more. While the acquisition of the information I desire (maker and approximate date), would be nice, I purchased the vase because I like and an will enjoy it regardless of the outcome of my search.

- Are you regularly searching for information on your items?
Sometimes, but not too often as I can usually find what information I desire quickly or give up the search.

- Has this website helped you in the past?
This is my first time on this website. I am hoping to learn to navigate and use the site more often.

- If you have a store or ebay shop, give it a mention.
I do not have a store or shop on eBay, but thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks - John