Vintage Japanese Eggshell Porcelain Tea Set, Kutani Style, 12 Piece

A decorative vintage Japanese eggshell porcelain tea set comprising four cups, four saucers and four side plates. The set is decorated in a richly detailed Kutani-style palette of iron red, black and gilt, with hand-painted landscapes, figures and floral motifs inside and out. The exceptionally thin eggshell porcelain gives the cups a delicate translucent quality when held to the light, while the saucers and plates feature densely patterned decorative scenes. Each piece is decorated both inside and out, with delicate hand-painted landscapes inside the cups and richly patterned patchwork scenes across the saucers and plates. The incredibly thin eggshell porcelain gives the cups a wonderfully translucent quality when held to the light. This is a decorative vintage set with plenty of character and would display beautifully in a cabinet, on open shelving or as part of a collection of Japanese ceramics. Includes * 4 cups * 4 saucers * 4 side plates Dimensions Cups * Height: 5 cm * Diameter: 10 cm * Width including handle: 11.5 cm Saucers * Diameter: 13.6 cm Side plates * Diameter: 18.7 cm Condition Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description. Overall the set displays beautifully but has a number of condition issues consistent with age: Cups * One cup has a hairline crack. * One cup has a small rim chip together with a hairline crack. Saucers * One saucer has a small area of paint loss. * One saucer has light wear together with a tiny chip to the underside rim. Side plates * General light age-related wear across all four. * One plate has lost most of its gilt decoration. * One plate has no visible maker’s mark to the reverse. * One plate has partial loss of the gilt decoration along one side. Despite these imperfections, the set remains an attractive decorative collection with vibrant colours and intricate hand-painted detail throughout.