We confess, we love these porcelain square dishes so much, we almost kept them for ourselves.
Made in Arita, these dishes date back to the 1930s-40s, when they were used in a traditional ryokan (Japanese inn). Unusually ahead of their time, they feature a floral motif reminiscent of Dutch Delftware, but in a far simpler modernist iteration. The previous owner says her mother found them so unusual that she saved them from being thrown away once the family-run ryokan closed in the 1940s.
Each one is unique, displaying the charm of individually made forms and hand-painted craftsmanship.
That contrast of deep blues with white is an aesthetic still popular today. Take a look at Asemi's Hasami Indigo Cup for a contemporary idea.
Porcelain
Width 11cm x Depth 11cm x Height 4cm
