Impostor Tomatoes

You might think this is a tomato. Sorry. This is actually a teapot disguised as a tomato. Really.

Maybe the potter was hungry at the time they made it. The boss wanted them to make a teapot and they were thinking about the tomato in their lunch pail. And voila, the tomato teapot was born.

(You have to beware of these impostors. They're very hard on the digestive system.)

This sugar pot is evidence that the boss not only missed the teapot but must have been on vacation for a while... when the cat's away...

Actually these delightfully crafted pieces (which include fruit, sea creatures and wonderfully colored vases and wall pockets) are old Japanese Maruhon Ware from the 1920's through the early 1950's. The word "Maru" in Japanese means to mark or circle. The mark on the bottom of these pieces is the circled letter "K". The Japanese were required to mark their exports, "Made in Japan", a practice that continued until the beginning of WWII. During the years from 1945 to 1952, all exports were marked "Made in Occupied Japan". If you know the ceramics and pottery field at all, you'll know the town of Noritake, where these pieces were said to be made for American export. Because of the war, many records have disappeared so an exact history is impossible to trace.

Suffice to say, finding these creations was the discovery of something unusual, a bit kitschy, much fun and playful.

Oh, and I didn't tell you about them. Because up until now, they've been relatively affordable.