Sake Cups: Blue Moriage Dragonware, Hand Painted Sakazuki, Set of 6, Japan, Vintage 1950s - SOLD

Six Sakazuki ceremonial size sake cups in hand painted blue Moriage Dragonware, each with a fire-breathing dragon in raised decoration.

• Maker: Unmarked (stamped "Japan")
• Pattern: Blue Moriage Dragonware
• Quantity: Set of 6
• Materials: Porcelain
• Dimensions: Each cup: 2.875 inches in Diameter (top opening), 1.125 inches (bottom), 2.25 inches Tall
• Origin: Japan
• Era: Vintage, 1950s
• Condition: Excellent — no cracks, chips, or scratches on any of the pieces. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

A beautiful set of six Sakazuki ceremonial size sake cups. Drinking sake from a sakazuki is an ancient way of enjoying the drink and has been used in Shinto rituals and ceremonies. These cups are very old, made in Japan in the moriage style, and were traditionally made for the GI trade, sold in the 1950s to American soldiers stationed in Japan. They are hand painted on a bright blue background, with a Japanese fire-breathing dragon with red eyes. The dragon is green and white with accents of orange, red, and yellow, and the cups have a yellow border, a gold rim, and a tiny gold handle. All the hand decorations are raised, which gives a lovely texture. They are stamped on the bottom "Japan."

A great addition to your bar or chinoiserie collection.

"Dragonware" is the term used to describe porcelain or pottery items with a raised decoration depicting an oriental dragon. These items were produced in Japan from the end of the 1890s until the mid 1950s, and most Dragonware pieces are decorated with moriage, a type of slip clay that gives the piece a three dimensional appearance.

Sakazuki are the oldest style of sake cups. They have a wide mouth and continue to be the ceremonial favorite. Very shallow, the cup is most formally lifted to the mouth with two hands, one holding the bottom and the other the side. Available in a number of sizes from the most minute to a large showpiece, the sakazuki typically holds only a few sips, and is often beautifully decorated and made from porcelain, earthenware, or lacquer, and sometimes gold, silver, or glass. When using sakazuki, it is common to pour for the other person and to reciprocally accept another person's offer to pour, a form of etiquette that expresses hospitality as well as understanding of the needs and enjoyment of others.

Browse our shop for more Asian-inspired barware to round out your collection.