Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-12
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM JAPAN,
Curious Novelties in Crockery and Other
Ware From q Far-OH Land.


0NE FINDS A GOOD MANY DELIGHTFUL
" novelties in the Japanese shops for this
Christmas For example, individual teapots
are the latest fad to 60 with individual sugar
bowls and cream jugs. In the nikado's empire
things for the table run to the diminutive, and
it is thoroughly Japanese to have separate
receptacles for everything. Individual butter
dishes and salt cellars were only introduced
very few years ago and the fashion in
that direction has SO steadily progressed that
before long each guest at q dinner may
find himself provided with his own private por-
ton of every dish served. Such result would
afford an interesting illustration of the manner
in which high civilization sonnet times meets bar
barism. inasmuch as fourth-rate boarding
houses long ago anticipated the method de-
scribcd by giving to each person a simuItane-
Gus dab of everything.
Odd dishes are the proper mode now. No
longer Is 1t the fashion to have things FOR the
table in sets. On the contrary, every dozen
plates or cups or saucers or what not should
exhibit as Eluch variation in design as posi-
BILE. Not only should their crnanIentation vary,
but their shapes also. Tho beginning of this.
OF course, was the notion that each piece should
make a different picture. At tirst it was merely
question of ornamentatiol, but now il has
gone much further. The Japanese have APP
piled the conception indefinitely. SO that tie
variety Of crockery ware OF every kind is sim
ply bewildering.
After-dinner coffee cups are distinctly a fad
just at present. The proper thing is to have
many styles Of them as one can afford, every
cup and saucer being different from the rest
Happily, there is no difficulty in accomplishing
this. In one shop The STAR writer found
ninety distinct designs in coffee cups. Plates
to match each coffee cup are another novelty
and will be expected at teas this winter.
One advantage Of buying Japanese ware IL
that it is SO much cheaper than similar pro-
ducts Of equal beauty. No one upon looking
over the goods displayed in such a shop can
Of the most exquisite objects offered for sale.
To understand this one must realize that Is
cents day in high pay for q skilled workman
in the land Of temples. The people over there
are at present initiating most delightfully."-
the shapes Of Royal Worcester and Dresden
vases, &c. Apprentices do much Of the work
in the factories. at embroidery especially
Thus the purchaser in this country il able to
buy quite handsome screen cover embroidered
with birds and other designs in gold thread for
90 little As g. To the average eye such screen
cover is entirely satisfac tory, and it il only
by side with similar products turned ont by the
skilled artists with the same materials which
sell for el0 each. It should DO mentioned, by
the way. that the correct thing is 10 serve tea
in individual sets on six-sided Turkish tables.
Another fad this year Is for little Japanese
dolls, tho bodies Of which are incloscd in sachet
bags, leaving the heads sticking out. Three
such bags may be made to represent the three
graccs; nine OF them will do for the muses. and
% on. the name OF each being embroidered on
the outside. Ornamental spiders are bigger
than ever, and even more realistic. A novel
and beautiful material for portieres Is q crepe
made Of half silE and half cotton and stamped
with figures in gilt. 1t costs 81 yard.