Collectible Japanese Teapots & Tea Sets (1900-Now)

Add a Touch of History to Your Tea Party With an Antique Japanese Tea Set

An antique Japanese tea set is an example of Asian craftsmanship. The term may refer to any Japanese tea set made up to approximately 1952. However, a Japanese tea set made after 1920 is typically referred to as a vintage Japanese tea set, and both are available on eBay.

An affordable Japanese porcelain tea set makes an addition to any collection. Japanese tea sets and teacups were imported into Europe beginning in the 1500s. Very old Japanese tea sets are generally identified by their era based on the Japanese dynasties. If you find any of these, you will need an expert in Japanese to help translate the markings. The dynasties are:

• Momoyama - 1573 to 1603
• Edo - 1603 to 1867
• Meiji - 1868 to 1913
• Taisho - 1913 to 1926
• Showa - 1926 to 1988

An antique Japanese tea set may come in any of hundreds of patterns. These patterns are generally identified with the city of origin instead of the pattern itself. Moriage is one pattern you may find. It has been used in Japanese tea sets for centuries. The process carefully layers clay on pottery, which creates a raised, intricate design. These may then be painted or have gold leaf added. Some Moriage pieces are not antique, so you may want to double-check. In addition, an antique Japanese porcelain tea set may come with one of these patterns:

• Bizen - Decorated with humourous animals, gods, or birds
• Kutani - Has elaborate decorations in red, gold, and vibrant colours
• Imari - Depicts leaves and flowers with an underglaze in red and blue on a white background
• Satsuma - Has a crackled, lustrous finish

A made-in-Japan tea set is a specific mark that refers to a period after the Nippon mark became unacceptable to U.S. Customs. From August 1, 1921, a pre-war Japanese tea set would be stamped “Japan” or “Made in Japan.” When World War II began, the mark was no longer used. The United States instituted an embargo on Japanese goods during the war. No shipments of Japanese goods arrived in the U.S. for at least two years after the end of World War II. In 1945, Japanese products were stamped with the words, “Occupied Japan.”