How Do You Identify Noritake China Patterns?
The Noritake China company began as Morimura Gumi, named for its original founder, who was in position to respond to the call of Commodore Perry in 1854–for Japan to open its borders to trade. After sending employees to several expositions and fairs (including the 1893 World’s Fair), Morimura began production in 1904 at Nagoya, Japan, and supplied dinnerware to the Japanese Navy in 1910. The first dinnerware imports arrived in the United States in 1914. Noritake china has had many backstamps over the years, many without the Noritake name. It may take some research to determine that your china is a Noritake product, and additional research to identify the pattern. Identify Noritake china by backstamps or marks. Older Noritake products are marked with an “M” or an “M” in a wreath mark, representing the Morimura name. Many are also marked with the Nippon mark, and these usually date prior to 1921, as that was the year when the United States began requiring Japan to use the American name
