These lovely Geisha lithophane cups were first created in the late 1800’s and production continued until the 1950’s. The cups are thin and the photo found at the bottom of the cup is created using a varying thickness of porcelain. Most of these porcelain cups are made in the Kutani region of Japan.
Many Geisha lithophane cups were sent, or brought, home by World War II servicemen who gave them to their wives. The images above show what is commonly referred to as a “Single Geisha”, with a classical Japanese hairstyle. In some versions, the geisha’s hair is adorned with chopsticks, garland or flowers.
Rare Pieceset