SAJI Japan 15 Piece Tea Set Lustreware Moriage Dragonware Geisha Lithophane.
This 15 price set includes 6 tea cups, 6 saucers, sugar pot, creamer & tea pot.
The set is in very good condition for age. No chips or cracks.
Couple of plates show what seems like faint yellowish discolouration around the edge but I'm not sure this is not a natural production occurrence or just age ware. See pics of saucer close-ups.
The tea pot has two little brown spots at top - see pic. This, again, seems like a production flaw rather than damage.
The set is stamped with the SAJI maker's mark and "made in japan". The set is likely to have been created during Japan occupation. SAJI is one of the many known studios which operates and traded during the occupation. Having said that, some websites claim Saji trading has closed down during WWII so this set could possible be post 1921 but pre 1945. The Galesiha Lithophane trend started around 1930's so the possibility 1930's to early 1940's. But I cannot ascertain an exact date.
Each tea cap has a Geisha Lithophane which shows more clearly with a backlight - see last few pics.
The set is made of fine China and his skilfully hand painted in the Moriage technique of raised clay over the China - portraying a dragon. The dragon has blue eyes which apparently signifies something in Japanese culture but I am not sure if it's nature.
The colour of the set could be described best as white-pearly Lusterware with gold rims and gold touches on the handles.
Please feel free to ask any question
Thanks for looking.
You can find below some extra information from the internet with regards to the set's attributes:
Moriage & Dragonware:
Moriage Decorative Techniques
Moriage is a type of decoration that has been used on Japanese pottery for centuries. It is a process of delicately layering clay on pottery to create intricate, raised designs. The pottery may then be painted in vibrant colors or have gold leaf added to them, and given its delicate construction, this type of pottery is easily damaged if not handled carefully. Not all Moriage pieces are antique, so always know who you are buying from and learn as much about the authentic antique pieces as you can. A famous type of Moriage is called Dragonware; this type of Moriage features dragon designs created with the Moriage technique and was replicated by many manufacturers.
Made in Japan:
Beginning in August 1921, all imported goods sent to the United States from Japan had to be backstamped with the written notations: Japan or Made in Japan. These marks were used until 1941 when World War II began and the United States placed an embargo on Japanese products, eventually lifting in the wake of the war and America's own occupation of the island nation.
Manufacturers Operating in Occupied Japan
Eastern Asia is well-known for its porcelain and fine-china exports, and there were thousands of skilled manufacturers from the region who've contributed to the hundreds of years worth of impressive artifacts. Here are just a few of these talented studios who created pieces under occupation in the late 1940s-early 1950s:
Lithopane geisha
Cups with lithophane geisha were made in Japan in the late 1930s through early 1960s, largely as export ware. They were mass produced after WWII, and were a common item purchased and brought back to the United States by service members.