Bizen Ware
Two regiment flag cups from the Bizen kiln. Items from this kiln are highly
prized. See more here: BIZEN WARE.

The design has a tattered regiment flag in gold.

Inscribed '10th Infantry, 54th Anniversary of Receiving the Regiment Flag
Commemorative.'
Since the 10th Regiment first received the standard in 1874, this pair
dates to 1928.

The mark in the base says 'Bizen, Made by Mori.'
Regular glazed side of the cup. A deeper
reddish color and smoother to the touch.
Lightly glazed side of the cup. A bit rougher to the touch and
the place where the inscriptions have been stamped in.
Below are the three cup inscriptions
'Great East Asia War Commemorative'
'Nakabe 48th Unit'
'Bizen' (the kiln name)
On the side of the bottle:
'Great East Asia War Commemorative,
Nakabe 48th Unit'
A beautiful and rare late-war (marked 'Daitoa Sensou') tokkuri and matching
cup from the Bizen kiln. Excellent coloring and shaping. The inscriptions on
both bottle and cup are the same. (See the translations to the right.)

Note that the inscription 'NAKABE 48th UNIT' uses a word 'Nakabe' that may
be a family name, as in the unit commander. Or it could also be an area name,
and then it is usually pronounced 'chuubu,' which is 'central.' 'Chuubu Japan'
is the area in dark green on the map below.
A beautifully made combat helmet shape cup with a large cherry blossom base. Very rare.
Although there is no kiln marking, this is probably an example of Bizen ware.