This is an antique Japanese military sake cup, decorated with a helmet, some cherry blossoms, and a flag with a star. The words are "Discharge Commemoration" "19th Infantry". The exterior of the cup is in the shape of a helmet with a plane as the base. This cup is interesting because of the discoloration - it is pretty traditional for some types of pottery to have a deliberate crackle-glaze so that after use the cup (or other vessel) will slowly take on darker colors as the cracks are filled. Usually these military sake cups are not like that, but somehow this one is and also happens to be very well used without actually losing the interior decoration. So now the little cracks on the glaze are really obvious and give the cup a nice, used look.

Condition: Mint, aside from the used nature of the cup as described above

Size: 2" across