DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A GEISHA GIRL

Fox's picture
Category: 
General Antiques and Collectibles
Medium - What is the item made out of (e.g. "silver")?: 
China
Distinguishing marks or signature (e.g. artist's name, silver hallmark): 
DRAGONWARE THE WORD "LUCKY" ON BOTTOM OF CREAMER AND SUGAR BOWL AND A GEISHA GIRL AND OTHER SIGNATURE MARKS
Date Period (Estimated date of item if known): 
Hoping pre-world war II
Price Paid (If known): 
Mother's collection (unsure of price)
Size and dimensions of this item: 
All included information is in the description
Weight: 
unsure at this time
Condition: 
Excellent
History: 
Mother's Collection
Long Description and Pictures (jpg, gif, png): 

Hi,
I have a tea set consisting of 3 teacups with a dragon emblem on each cup, sugar bowl and creamer (dragon colors from top to bottom are - Red, Gold and Green) and a raised Geisha lithophane that I believe is the “Worried Geisha” at the bottom of each cup with an m shaped signature inside by the rim. Also on the outside of the cups is a large red Chinese mark (looks like maybe another signature).

The Sugar Bowl and the Creamer both have the hallmark word “LUCKY” instead of the word “LUCKY CHINA”. I'm hoping this means it was pre-world war II.

Here are the particulars for each item:

- sugar bowl, 6 oz - height 3 inches, diameter 2.5 inches, handle-spread width 5 inches

- creamer, 4.5 oz - height 3 inches, diameter 2.5 inches, handle-spread width 3.5 inches

- tea cup, 1.5 oz - height 1.5 inches, top diameter 3 inches, bottom diameter 1.5 inches

Photographs include:
•The Hallmark “LUCKY” under the creamer and sugar bowl
•Inside the tea cup is a raised Geisha Girls head.
•A picture from the web of the “Worried Geisha” which I believe to be the same as the raised Geisha in my cups.
•A picture of a tea cup with the “m” like signature.
•A picture of the 3 tea cups, sugar bowl and creamer

Thanks to Theodora Kalfopoulos for the pictures.

Anyone's help appraising this 3 pc China set would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
~Fox
salesbyfox@comcast.net

Free Classifieds: 
No, I don't want to sell it
Photos: 

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Anonymous's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

HI FOX, YOU HAVE A CAROLENE WEAR TEASET.The giesha apparantly is the artists wife There are 26 poses of the same giesha.Yours looks like the penchant giesha.Although rare, she is rated in the first 9 giesha poses as the 5th most common to find.The first 9 poses are named sad,quizzical,garland,common, pensive,ribboned,wide eyed,simple&simple with garland. The next 8 are rarer to find. They are: serene,private,vulnerable,sweetfaced,chopstick no1, worried, chopstick no 2 and daisy flowers. The last 9 are extremely rare and they are: elaborate,crysanthemum,stylised,anxios,left facing,knowing,downwards gazing,with plaits,lost in thought and double flowers. The prosedure used to make the giesha face in the bottom is called a lithophane. There are also 2 extremeley rare double gieshas. They are called smiling and kissing. I have the same giesha as you in my teaset, she is the penchant giesha, but my teaset looks far different. It is hand painted with the same style dragons but is bright orange and adorned with fired glass beads It is also heavily gilded. They are pre world war 2. There are 4 styles of the china,used with the giesha lithphanes. However my teaset is 3 of the 4 styles. As each set was individually hand crafted, each set is unique. By the way there is 1 set in the entire world with the giesha outline only{It is held under lock and key by the chinese government.} They certainly are little treasures. They sell for varying prices but i have heard of one selling for $3,ooo aud. There is a web site showing the entire collection of poses Idont have the address sorry, but i found it by searching dragonwear giesha lithophanes. cheers Alyson

Anonymous's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

These lithophane sets are nearly always Japanese, yours were likely marked with paper or foil labels, common to such pieces.
Older Japanese porcelain ( 1891-1921) would be generally marked "Nippon". Trade stopped with Japan during World War Two, similar wares were made both before and after WW2. Values for it are very modest, I suggest you look here:
http://tinyurl.com/m9w4re

Lovejoy

Fox's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

Hi Lovejoy,
Thanks again for your insight on the lithophane. Did you see the word "LUCKY", not "LUCKY CHINA" on the bottom of the sugar bowl and creamer? Doesn't that make the set before the war?
Thanks,
~Fox

Anonymous's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

" China " in this case is not a country of origin mark and has no bearing on the age of this set. Sets made before and after the War can virtually identical and marked the same way. Those made directly after WW2 were most often marked " Occupied Japan" From 1945-52, but again paper and foil labels were used as well, which were removed after sale or simply fell off.

Lovejoy

Fox's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

Hi Lovejoy,
Thanks for the "China" info. But I was referring more to the word "LUCKY" in this case. On the internet I thought I saw that the word "LUCKY" by itself could mean it's pre-war. And do you appraisers give appox. prices on items or only info that pertains to the items being requested for appraisal prices?
Thanks again,
~Fox

Anonymous's picture

Re: DRAGONWARE CHINA TEA SET WITH HALLMARK, SIGNATURES AND A ...

These lithophane sets are nearly always Japanese, yours were likely marked with paper or foil labels, common to such pieces.
Older Japanese porcelain ( 1891-1921) would be generally marked "Nippon". Trade stopped with Japan during World War Two, similar wares were made both before and after WW2. Values for it are very modest, I suggest you look here:
http://tinyurl.com/m9w4re

Lovejoy