Minature Satsuma Vase (4 1/2 Inches tall)

I have gotta admit, this is one of my favorites. Found it at a garage sale for $4. It is tiny, measuring only 4.5 inches tall. There are two panels on it. One panel is of warriors and the other panel are ladies. It is interesting to note that each of the people on the vase have distinct and different facial expressions.

I showed this to an antique dealer once and he said it was so finely painted, that the artist used a brush of one hair to apply the paint. (Maybe he was just kidding, I don't know)

It is marked by a few characters on the bottom.