A rare find indeed! This Antique Japanese Porcelain Tea Set is amazing in its detailed decoration. It is moriage decorated with white enamel for the flowers and gilt for the butterflies, leaves and trim on creamy white porcelain. The cobalt blue glaze is so dense that it seems to seep into the porcelain. The set was likely produced during the 19th century when Chinese export to Europe were halted. There are markings on the base of the teapot and the interior of the teapot lid.
The set has signs of wear and use. The creamer has some sort of adhesive on the base. It may be an old repair, however, I didn't want to cause damage by attempting to remove the substance. UPDATE*** While cleaning the set, I found that the creamer damaged. Lines thought to be stains on the spot and base are actually hairlines. The hairline on the spot is nearly hidden on the exterior due to the heavy application of enamel. Price adjusted accordingly.
The teapot is approximately 6" tall, 6.75" wide; the sugar bowl is approximately 5" tall; and the creamer is approximately 3.5" tall.
