An Inban Ware Small Cup: Bold Blue-on-White Pattern

late nineteenth century
2 1/2" x 2 1/2", 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm

Inban ware is a type of every day ceramic from old Japan that uses hand cut stencils to guide its design on to its surface: the stencils used for this purpose are very similar to those used in the katazome dyeing process, which makes Inban ware an interesting counterpart to folk textiles.

Inban ware was only produced for a narrow window of time, roughly from around 1878 to 1898.

Shown here is a teacup with bold and simple design: it shows two large-scale cranes and two large-scale pairs of cherry blossoms, the images large in relation to the small cup.

Please know this sides of this cup are straight as a cylinder is: the photos here might distort this by showing a bowed shape which this is not. The lead photo is the most accurate. 

This is a boldly decorated and very attractive example of Inban ware.