Alright, folks, let me tell you about this little project I got into the other day. I’ve always been fascinated by those old Japanese tea cups, you know, the ones that have a hidden picture at the bottom? Well, I decided I had to get one for myself.
So, I started digging around online, looking for these “lithophane geisha tea cups.” Apparently, that’s what they’re called. Sounds fancy, huh? Anyway, I found out that they were made in Japan, mostly for export, from like the 1930s up until the 1960s. And get this, they were mass-produced after World War II. Who knew, right?
I kept looking, browsing through online stores. There were so many to choose from! Some were plain, some had dragons on them, some were green with gold trim. Finally, I found one that I really liked – a simple white porcelain cup with a geisha design in the bottom. I ordered it right away. I mean, who can resist a good deal, am I right?
Waiting for the Package
Now, the waiting game. It felt like forever, but finally, the package arrived. I ripped it open, and there it was, my very own lithophane geisha tea cup. It was smaller than I expected, but hey, that’s how they made them back in the day. I learned that Japanese teacups don’t have handles, so they get hot when you hold them by the middle. I guess people used to hold them by the rim and the bottom.
The Big Reveal
I brewed some tea, poured it into the cup, and waited for it to cool down a bit. Then, I took a sip, and another, and another, until the cup was almost empty. And there she was, the geisha, looking up at me from the bottom of the cup. It was like magic! I held the cup up to the light, and the image became even clearer.
Sharing My New Treasure
I was so excited about my new tea cup that I took a bunch of pictures and showed them to my friends. Some of them had never even heard of lithophanes before. They were just as amazed as I was. This one friend even said it was like having a little ghost in the cup, appearing as you finished your drink. Kinda spooky but cool, right?
So, yeah, that’s my little adventure with the lithophane geisha tea cup. It was totally worth it. Now I have this cool, unique piece of history that I can use every day. And every time I drink from it, I get to see that geisha looking back at me. It’s like having a little secret in my tea cup. Who would have thought that buying a tea cup online could turn into such a fun experience?
