Mini Toy China Blue Willow Tureen, Underplate

Mini Toy China Blue Willow Tureen, Underplate

Miniature toy china Blue Willow covered tureen with matching underplate is from the early 1930s and is in perfect condition. The oval 5-3/8"(from handle to handle) serving dish has a 3-1/8" wide matching lid with a lip that fits inside to fit perfectly. Tureen sits on its oval underplate that measures 6-1/4" long by 3-7/16" wide. The oriental transferware pattern is called "Blue Willow" because of an ancient legend handed down for over two hundred years. The story is that during the time when emperors ruled China, a mandarin, Tso Ling, lived in the pagoda under the branches of the apple tree to the right of the bridge. He had a beautiful daughter, Koong-se, who was betrothed to a wealthy but elderly merchant. Koong-se, however, had fallen in love with her father's accountant,Chang, so her father, Tso-Ling, had a high fence constructed to keep the lover's apart and arranged for his daughter's marriage to take place the day on the day a blossom fell from the willow tree which droops over the bridge behind the fence. The merchant arrived with a wedding gift of jewels, but before the marriage could take place, Koong-se and Chang eloped across the sea to a secluded island. The mandarin finally discovered where they were living, and prepared to have them killed, but before he could do that, the gods transformed the couple into a pair of turtle doves forever. In the design, the doves are seen gazing into each other's eyes at the top of the design. Introduced in England in the late 1700s, china with this design became so popular that it was manufactured all over the world. The tureen and its under plate both are marked, "Made in Japan" on the undersides of the pieces. The miniature tureen is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or repairs. There is soil and wear on the unglazed rims of both pieces. If you collect "Blue Willow" this is a most charming example, and great to add to your collection! Thank you for visiting.

Item ID: RL-2127

$99 USD

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