The exterior of each piece is decorated with soft looking enamel glazes with scrolling vines (“karakusa”) and lotus blossoms raised above the surfaces of the various colored grounds. The bodies of the two tokkuri have a rich lemon yellow background with turquoise scrolling vines and aubergine lotus blossoms. The necks, which are lined with silver, are glazed in aubergine and separated from the yellow ground by an aubergine band of stylized clouds. The base of each flask is ringed with a diapered decoration in turquoise and aubergine. Each silver lined sake cup is a different color – yellow, blue, aubergine, turquoise and tomato red – with scrolling vines in either yellow or turquoise and lotus blossoms in either aubergine or yellow. Stylized clouds encircle each foot, and a “raku” mark has been stamped into the bottom of each cup. The cover of the wooden tomobako is signed on both the outside and the inside.

Fa hua wares were an innovation of the Chinese during the Ming Dynasty. Polychrome enamel colors were applied between threads of clay or slip which served as partitions, much like the style of cloisonné. The enamels used were mainly green, aubergine and yellow. This unusual fa hua style of Eiraku ware is rarely found, particularly in a complete sake set.

CONDITION is excellent. We have left the silver liners in their tarnished states as some collectors prefer it this way. DIMENSIONS: Flasks: 5” (12.7 cm) high, 2 ½” (6.4 cm) diameter. Cups: 1 ¾” (4.5 cm) high, 1 ¾” (4.5 cm) diameter. Wooden box: 8 ¼” (21 cm) high, 8 7/8” (22.6 cm) wide, 3 ½” (8.9 cm) deep.