Vintage Japanese tea set in cobalt blue, featuring peacocks and peonies, 1970s.

Elegant vintage Japanese tea service in deep cobalt blue porcelain, consisting of a teapot and six traditional handleless cups of the yunomi type. The particularly rich decoration features peacocks among peonies, in a palette combining gilding, white, green, terracotta, and grey on a shiny midnight blue background. The contrast between the intense cobalt and the golden details gives the whole set a very decorative presence. In East Asian iconography, the peacock is associated with beauty, dignity, and nobility, while the peony is traditionally linked to prosperity and honour. Their association forms the main motif here, depicted on both the teapot and each of the six cups. The teapot has an integrated ceramic filter behind the spout, allowing for the use of loose leaf tea. Unsigned set, attributable to Japanese production from the Shōwa period, likely intended for the export market in the 1970s–1980s. Origin: Japan Era: 1970s–1980s, Shōwa period Composition: 1 teapot + 6 yunomi cups Material: glazed porcelain Decoration: cobalt blue, polychrome, and gilding Teapot: H. 8.5 cm × Ø approx. 8.2 cm Cups: H. 5.5 cm × Ø 4.5 cm Weight: teapot 296 g; cup approx. 64 g; set approx. 680 g Very good vintage condition. No chips, cracks, or repairs observed. Polychrome decoration and gilding well preserved. Some very light superficial signs of use, particularly under the bases, consistent with the age of the set. Please carefully consult the photographs, which are an integral part of the description.