This is National Hot Tea Month and I'm getting a late start celebrating. Well, not really as I write about tea and tea parties every day. Katherine at Yellow Rose Arbor is showing some of her favorite tea things so I thought I'd join her and show this Japanese Tea Set.
A few weeks ago, Anita at Prairie Dreams showed a tea set that she won at auction. It reminded me so much of mine that I had to go look at it again. Mine looks nothing like hers really but there is a similar feel or sense, I think. As she wrote, items made in Japan can be dated by what is written on the bottom.
In 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act was instated, requiring items imported into the United States to be marked in English with the country of origin. The name "Nippon" was chosen for items coming from Japan. (Nippon is the Japanese name for Japan.) In 1921, the official country of origin name requirement was changed to "Japan", thus creating a defined time period 1891-1921 in which wares were marked Nippon. Previous to 1891, items were either not marked at all, or marked with Japanese characters. During the period 1921-1941 porcelain should be marked "Japan" and roughly after 1941, marked "Made in Japan", though numerous exceptions appears to occurs. Pieces marked with JAPAN or MADE IN JAPAN in plain text without any company marks, in general date to the period immediately after the second WW. Some come with the addition of OCCUPIED JAPAN.
This pretty little set probably came to the US right after World War II. I think it is called Lusterware. It belonged to my husband's great aunt Beulah. She bequeathed it specifically to me in her will. I think I was the only one who shared her love of tea. I'm ashamed to say that I've never used it though. It is very delicate and I hate the thought of hurting it.
As I was photographing it, I noticed that the design on the teapot is not centered on the face of the pot but moved to the right side. I'm curious why they would do this, even if it was done on purpose, but I suppose I'll never really know.
