Heart and Clover Cup and Saucer

 

I was recently sent this very pretty little cup and saucer from the company Select Japan.    This cup and saucer are the latest design from the historic Arita Porcelain of Japan.    Empty or full, it tells a unique story.

Stunning in it's simplicity when empty, the filled cup displays a delicate four leaf clover outline.  Take a sip and halfway down, the clover transforms into a heart shape.   Savour the full cup and you are left with another surprise . . . a second tiny clover outline seems to float before finally revealing a minute crystal heart at the very bottom of the cup.


















Six tiny heart shapes are hollowed out around the rim of the saucer and a specially made glaze is injected inside. It is then baked in a kiln heated to a temperature of 1300*C which forces the glaze to harden and turn almost crystal in nature.

There is another heart shape at the very bottom of the cup.   Each cut out in this product is carefully created by hand, and because of this delicate and painstaking work, only five hundred Heart in Clover cups and saucer sets can be produced every month.
This cup and saucer are also microwaveable and dish washer proof, which is a plus.

 

 The very first Japanese porcelain was baked in Arita Japan, in 1616, and this heritage has continued for nearly 400 years.   Arita introduced its quality porcelain to the European continent in the 17th century via the Dutch East Indies Company, and is credited with inspiring the birth of the first European porcelain, Meissen.   Arita is better known in Europe as Imari.  

Cup and Saucer Set (Blue or Red) £43
Pair (One Blue and One Red Set)  £86
Pair (One Blue and One Red Set) in Gift Box £96

For more details and how to purchase do check out the Select Japan page.

It really is a beautiful cup and so very delicate in appearance.  I think the heart and clover effect is very unique and quite adorable.  If I had only one negative to say about it, it would be that the saucer does not have a recessed area where there normally is one to help to hold the cup in place, but then again . . . since this is Japanese, perhaps that is the way they do things.   All in all I do like this cup and saucer very much.

Many thanks to Ms Lina Panchal  and Select Japan for sending it to me.

I do get sent the nicest things.  I am a very lucky girl!