Product Details

***CALLOUT - small chip on saucer*** A vintage Japanese Dragonware Moriage demitasse teacup and saucer set. It features a hand-painted pink gradient glaze, 22-karat gold-painted accents along the rims and handle, and a raised, 3D porcelain dragon applied using a slipwork piping technique. HIDDEN FEATURE: Many teacups of this style contain a lithophane image at the bottom. If you empty the cup and hold it up to a direct light source, you will see a translucent portrait of a Japanese Geisha girl visible through the porcelain floor. SEE PICS! The central illustration is a specialized travel transfer print commemorating Meramec Caverns located off Route 66 in Stanton, Missouri. Circa late 1940s to 1950s. During this post-WWII period, mid-century Japanese manufacturers heavily produced these customizable dragonware items specifically to sell as souvenirs at prominent American roadside attractions and travel destinations.