eBay

Currently and until further notice – I can ship from within the US – handling time of 20 business days - as I am located in Canada but can arrange with a shipper to originate once per month from within the US. As that gap lessens, handling time will shorten.

I am able to ship from within Canada to Canadian, US, and permitted International destinations - by Canada Post - Monday-Friday – not weekends, not holidays. Please contact seller for pricing and process information.

For all those interested in Made for Export, VINTAGE-Retro-ERA, Collectible CERAMICS - Made in JAPAN ... A wide variety of interesting, colourful, collectible - elegant and every-day items - were made available to the North American market - pre and post-war.

Offered here is a - VINTAGE-Retro-Era JAPAN - Canada Souvenir - Figural Squirrels-in-Oak-Tree, Salt & Pepper Shakers, Cream, and Lidded Sugar Set - in most-excellent, gently-used condition.

All surfaces are highly-glossy shiny and clean (except un-glazed base seat-rims). There are no chips, cracks, nor flea-bites; no hazing, stains, significant rubs or scratches - there is some crazing, on some parts, of all pieces.

The items are molded with detailing of Cut Tree Logs - Bark-Texture on exterior surfaces, Rings-of-Growth depicted on the lid-top and tops of the Salt & Pepper. Molded highly-detailed Figural Squirrels are attached as handles on the Salt, Pepper, Cream and two on the Sugar - the Lid has an acorn-form handle. Molded detail of - "Canada" - in cursive script, on the front side along with acorns and leaves; the back side has a smaller acorn-leaf motif, as does the Lid.

The exterior high-gloss glazed surfaces are Tan-Brown in colour - the glaze settled well into the crevices of the molded detailing to make details & textures stand out; the interior surfaces and center-base are also Tan-Brown glazed. The slightly recessed subtle base seat-rims of all items, the upper-inner rim of the sugar, and the under-rim of the lid are all unglazed - when assembled, seated upright - the un-glazed areas are well hidden from view.

The molded detailing of leaves and acorns on each item, including the Lid are top-coated with colour - which has some fleck colour loss. The acorns are decorated with orange colour and brown glaze detailing; the leaves are painted green with black glaze fine detailing.

The Four main items each have the full name - "JAPAN" - in black ink, stamped onto the base - much of which has warn or washed off of a couple pieces.

The base of the Pepper has a foil sticker attached - red and silver-tone in colour, with a little wear - but still legible - "An Enterprise Exclusive (cursive)TORONTO CANADA (print, all capitals)".

Cream - near perfect ...

This Cream has an elevated spout, effective handle, and round flat bottom. There is a slight outward taper from the top edge to the base.

This Cream measures 2 3/8" in diameter across the top edge, 4 3/8" across the spout and handle, 2 7/8" across the base, 2 3/4" in height at the side, 3 1/8" in height at the spout; the squirrel-handle in 2 1/8" in length.

Lidded Sugar - near perfect ....

This Sugar-Bowl is round across the top and bottom - tapering-out from the top edge to the base, slightly. The Lid has a vertical rim on the bottom surface to seat within the opening of the Sugar-Bowl, and the outer rim seats on the inner horizontal rim of the Sugar-Bowl's opening.

This Sugar-Bowl measures - 2 3/4" in diameter across the top edge, 2 1/8" in diameter across the inner opening; 2 3/4" in height; 5 1/8" across the two handles; 3" in diameter across the base. The Lid measures 2 3/8" in diameter across the outer edge, 2" in diameter across the inner rim.

Salt and Pepper Shakers - near perfect ...

The Salt Shaker has 4-perforation holes on the top surface; The Pepper Shaker has 3-perforation holes on the top surface.

The form of these two shakers is nearly the same - cylindrical in form, handle to one side - the handle is on the LHS of the Pepper, RHS of the Salt. each shaker has its original plastic sealing plug.

Each Shaker measures - ~3 1/4-1/2" across the shaker and handle; 2" in diameter across the top, 2 1/4" in diameter across the base, 2 1/2" in height.

SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION –

Ceramic -

Ceramic is a general term used to describe the art of making things from clay then baking them to become strong & non-absorbent. China is a highest-quality ceramic.

China is composed of clay, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz – other materials, depending on circumstances may be added as well. These materials are mixed, items are molded into shape, and then go through a series (where glazes can be added) of long & high temperature firings – which impact the final product. In the end, the components have fused, forming a strong and non-absorbent product.

China is also referred to a tender porcelain, also more opaque than porcelain.

Porcelain is a ceramic made by heating the materials which make porcelain (kaolin and several others) to 1200-1400-degree C – producing very strong and transluscent porcelain-ceramic – due to the high-heating process generating the mineral mullite.

Made in JAPAN Ceramics - an interesting history .... compiled from a few sites ...

1891-1921 - Hand-Painted NIPPON

After 1915 - MADE IN NIPPON

1921-1941 - NORITAKE Art-Deco - these items are MOST PRIZED by collectors, price reflects that as well.

1921-1941 JAPAN; MADE IN JAPAN - referred to as the GOLDEN AGE - Early - U.S Customs required that all country names be labeled in English - these pieces were marked "JAPAN" or "MADE IN JAPAN" (as the words "MADE IN" were also req'd but some managed to make it through without. Sometimes due to space constraints, only the word JAPAN appeared.)

An embargo stopped all shipments from JAPAN 1941-1945.

1947-1952 OCCUPIED JAPAN; MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN - Feb 1947-Apr 1952 - items began to reach the U.S in 1947 were marked as such in INK, post 1949 - the ink was most commonly RED, GREEN or BLACK.

1952+ JAPAN; MADE IN JAPAN - ... improved stickers were allowed to replace INK, in the 1950s.

ESD

E.S.D. – Enterprise Sales & Distributors LTD is a company owned by the Canadian Trader, Harry S Pearl (located at 30W Font St, Toronto, ON, Canada) - "An Enterprise Exclusive (cursive) TORONTO CANADA (print, all capitals)".

Pearl began purchasing and importing pieces to import into Canada in 1951. These pieces can be identified by the ink or glaze stamped Hallmark or LOGO – “Wreath with a LION along the top”.

A Japanese company, Miyawo Co. Ltd., made many items which were sold through a Japanese trading company, Nagoya Boeki Trading Co, to ESD in Canada.

ESD distributed some items imported by the importer, Lefton China of Chicago, (founded in 1940 by the Hungarian designer George Zoltan Lefton. Lefton imported fine decorative porcelain objects from primarily Japan, until the 1970s – figurines, kitchenware, cookie jars, salt & pepper sets ….). ESD did sell some Lefton imports; some ESD imports were sold by Lefton. Lefton and Pearl were supportive friends – sometimes even combining their import orders to order larger quantities of items, where they could get better item pricing from Japanese manufacturers.

SHIPPING -

To pay no shipping-handling - Local Porch Pick-Up always available for purchased items – please contact seller to make arrangements.

Depending on your location, eBay may add calculated taxes to your total purchase – according to local requirements – above negotiated item and shipping-handling quoted.

I use the most economical carriers who operate Monday-Friday – not weekends; not holidays.

I also refund shipping over-charges, if they are significantly over my actual cost to ship - normally, I am close to the actual cost.

All hard-surface items are – well-washed in hot soapy water, rinsed, air-dried, photographed, wrapped in clean paper towel, packed, and placed into clean storage boxes until purchased.

Processing Blankets, Once in Hand -

All Blankets are washed in Wool-Safe Laundry Detergent; dried on warm heat, until dry; photographed from both sides; folded and bagged loosely, then placed into a storage cupboard having cedar shingles throughout the cupboard until sold.

There are videos and web-sites on line which explain how wool items can be re-stretched to their proper shape or size (or closer to) – as shrinkage happens when washed and dried.

See my store, 60s50sfun - “V's All About Vintage” on ebay.ca; member since Apr 2015.