Blue Willow Bowls (2) Japanese MCM 5" Diameter, 1" Deep Transferware

This Historic Blue Willow pattern is famous for telling a story of forbidden love: A wealthy merchant's daughter and his humble clerk fell in love but were forbidden to marry.They fled across the bridge (seen in the pattern) but were eventually caught. Upon their deaths, the gods took pity and transformed them into the two doves flying at the top of the design so they could be together forever.

Mid-Century (1950s–1960s): Simple "Japan" or "Made in Japan" marks like these became standard again during the mid-century export boom. Japanese versions are often characterized by more heavily saturated blue colors and "plumper" birds compared to English versions.

Bowls are in excellent condition. No chips, cracks or crazing. However, there are multiple bubbles in the glaze in each bowl. Hard to see in photos but I tried to show them in the close up pictures.

Perfect for display or use as a jewelry container or trinket dish. Bulls are approximately 5 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 inch tall.