Antique or Junque: Dragon on porcelain
Q : This is a dragonware cup and saucer that are part of a larger collection. Most pieces have a matte gray background and are decorated with dragons in relief. A few have a red-orange background. Could you find information on dragonware and when it was made? A : Porcelain dragonware has been made in Japan since the late 1800s. It can be recognized by the mythological fire-breathing dragon in relief that is outlined in white and against a gray background that fades to black, white moriage/dots and blue accents. Some pieces were made with a pink or red-orange background. Examples of dragonware include tea sets, cups, saucers, ashtrays, vases, covered trinket boxes, coffee sets, cream pitchers and sugar bowls. Most pieces were either marked with a paper label or signed in the glaze. There was an increased demand for dragonware in the 1940s and 1950s.
Your cup and saucer would probably sell in the range of $15 to $20.