Expensive japanese vase or value-priced vase (post 2 of 2 for this topic)

Is there any way to tell by the look of a japanese ginger jar or japanese vase whether it was originally expensive or value-priced? I collect japanese ginger jars and japanese vases that have flowers and birds. I buy them in antique stores and second-hand stores. My neighbour's father used to bring home expensive japanese vases from the Middle East when he worked there in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's. Of the ones that are cobalt blue, they look pretty-much like the ones that I pick up for 5, 10 or 20 dollars...