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Norleans by Meito

Eva Zeisel designed Norleans China for United China and Glass in 1948 and 1949, and it was released in the U.S. in 1949.  United China and Glass had worked in Japan before the war, and after the war returned to sign the first purchase agreement for china with the Supreme command Allied Posers and the Japanese Board of Trade. The first completely new line of china that was distributed under this agreement was created by Eva to celebrate United China and Glass's 100th anniversary.  It has her distinctive hand-accepting form, but is completely modern in feeling.  China and Glass in America, 1880-1990 by Charles Venable and others, for the Dallas Museum of Art, published by Harry N. Abrams, comments that "The Norleans China line was well made, with especially fine gilding."  Examples of the line were displayed at the recent Dallas Museum of Art retrospective on American China and Glass, and it is also cited in Jo Cunningham's "The Best of Collectible Dinnerware."  It seems to be a sleeper among Eva's many designs, perhaps because the stamp, which reads "Meito/Norleans/China/Made in Japan (pattern name)" does not carry her signature.  Because of the date of its manufacture, the early pieces are  also stamped "Made in Occupied Japan"; later pieces were not.  There are several decorations, including Adele, Courtley, Fairchild, Livonia, Midas, Roseann, and Royal Oak all of which were apparently created by artists in the Meito plant. 

  Midas - wheat stalk with raised texture, 

            1 fruit dish, 5-1/2" - $7.00 marked moj 

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