Victorian Era 3-Footed T.S. Nippon Sailing Ships Salt and Pepper shakers

Beautiful and rare, these detailed salt and pepper shakers feature a serene scene of two sailing ships in greens, blues, browns, and golds. Each potbellied shaped shaker has gold gilt on its top and on its 3 feet.

Each shaker is approximately 2 ⅞” tall and 2” wide. There is a hairline crack in the surface of one shaker (see pictures).

The McKinley Tariff Act of 1891 required that all imports be marked with their country of origin and the Nippon mark was made in response. In 1921, customs officials decided that pieces must be marked with Japan and not Nippon. I think these pieces are pre-1891 as they are unmarked, however, the latest they would have been produced would have been 1921.

Provenance Research: I found a vase with the same pattern and moriage design on Ebay. The vase had the T.S. Nippon mark on the bottom and was made between 1891-1921. I found another set of Nippon shakers on Etsy with the same shape (different pattern) that were Marked Hand Painted Nippon. I can provide the URLs on request.

As a child, I loved going with my mama and grandparents to yard sales, estate sales, and thrift stores as we shared the love of sifting for treasures. That tradition has been continued into my adulthood and I am honored to share my unique finds with you.

Most items in my shop are vintage and are not brand new and come from estate sales. The items may show minor age-related wear and/or minor flaws consistent with the date of manufacture (please be sure to check photos carefully as they are part of the description). I do my best to describe any imperfections. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!