Chikaramachi

 Q: My mother received this tea or luncheon set as a wedding gift in the late 1920s. It was never used but was always in our cupboard. We would appreciate any information about the dishes.

A: This crown and wreath mark was used by the Noritake factory on Chikaramachi Street in Nagoya, Japan. In 1876 Baron Ichizaemon Morimura and his brother founded Morimura Bros., a trading company, in Tokyo. In 1904 Morimura established a porcelain manufacturing company, Nippon Toki Gomei Kaisha, in Noritake, Japan. The company began exporting porcelain dinnerware in 1914. “Made in Japan” was used as part of the mark about 1908. The Chikaramachi crown mark was registered in 1928 and was used for several years. The company name became Noritake Co., Limited in 1981 and is still in business.