Japanese Nippon Vintage Porcelain Butter Tub

This lovely vintage Japanese Nippon porcelain butter tub comes with its original insert. It was produced between 1891-1921. It is partially hand-painted and decal which was common for many porcelain tableware pieces at the time. It measures 5 1/2" Diameter X 3" Height and dates circa 1920.

CONDITION: The two pieces are in tact. No chips, no cracks and no stains. There is some wear to the gold gilding which is to be expected considering its usage.

NIPPON PERIOD POTTERY & PORCELAIN The Nippon period started in 1865; this period was known as the Royal Nippon Period This period exhibited itself by use of deep rich dark cobalt blues, vibrant oranges, and intense yellows accentuated by extravagant use of lavish gold gilding upon pronounced porcelain forms and unique shapes. Most of the Early Royal Nippon porcelain did not carry manufacture marks. During the Meiji Period (1868-1912} much of the Nippon porcelain was decorated with gold.

As we approach the latter part of the Nippon period after (1912-1921), known as Late Nippon Period they become more conservative in use of gold and dark deep ground colors became less exuberant and the whiteness more revealing. Consequently pieces had less bold decorating and had more delicate and finer hand painted details to compensate for over use of larger floral and liberal use of embellished gold. As we approach the early 1920s, the decline of quality is evident.

Nippon is not a certain type of porcelain made by one maker. Nippon is an era. The Nippon period is from 1891-1921. In 1891 the USA required that the country of origin be stamped on pieces exported to this country. Accordingly, the Japanese started marking their Nippon wares. Nippon in Japanese means Japan. In 1921 the USA decided that because "Nippon" was a Japanese word, they wanted the stamp to be in English. From that point forward the word Japan was to be used. Therefore Nippon porcelain is any porcelain made in Japan from 1891-1921 which accounts for its great diversity in terms of quality.

After all, W.W. I. had wreaked havoc upon the world and many of the renowned porcelain factories took the brunt. Many factories were bombed; what factories remained either had to cut back on production, lay off painters and workers or cease production which led to their demise or succumbing to larger wealthier factories.