I bought this cup and saucer because I'm an avid tea drinker and I like a lot of Asian design motifs. The white porcelain is very thin and shows translucency when held up to light. The pattern is very slightly embossed into the surface and is almost certianly transfer stamped. The handle of the cup is shaped to resemble a curved piece of bamboo.
Flaws: The blue pattern on both the cup and saucer show some noticible wear. The glaze in the cup has a number of little pockmarks as if there were bubbles in either the glaze or the porcelain. The bottom base of the cup has a small chip missing.
For reference I've included a picture of a plate that is apparently a reproduction of the pattern on the cup and saucer (came from the same yardsale) - the ceramic is heavier and it's marked "Made in Japan" on the bottom.
I became curious about the true nature of the cup when I Googled and found out about what the "Nippon" mark means. I wasn't able to find the mark represented in any of the online guides. I know too that there are a lot of reproductions; regardless I'll probably keep on using this cup for drinking.
