Kokura Ware - mid-century modern dishes from Japan

Kokura Ware from Japan is characterized by beautiful modern silhouettes and gorgeously delicate patterns. Just look at the handle and the lines of the lid for this butter dish!  This is the Mapleton pattern - gray leaves with blue flowers.

Their teapots and cream pitchers are equally gorgeous. See a turquoise flowered creamer (Bonair pattern) here and a teapot in the Fairton pattern here.  Their Fairwin pattern of green, pink and gray feathery leaves looks like it was designed in 2014!  It's a super trendy pattern that is my current favorite. See an example here.

History
In 1917 Kazuchika Okura (K. Okura) started a ceramics company under the name of TOYO TOKI CO., Ltd., which was later renamed TOTO.  They developed ceramic bathroom fixtures for the Japanese market and started exporting chinaware to the American market.  They are still in business today. And while they no longer make chinaware, design is as important to them today as it obviously was 60 years ago.  Their bathroom fixtures are beautiful examples of modern design.   Current TOTO products.

Find the covered butter dish for sale at my Etsy shop: www.TheSlingshot.etsy.com

The other Kokura Ware can be found at other Etsy shops by following the links.


Butter dish in the Mapleton pattern:

These are some of the current TOTO products.