Featured Age & origin of butter pats?

This set of five butter pats are hand-painted and unsigned. Were they probably painted by a hobbyist? Do you think they're unsigned because the forms are newer and were made in the U.S. or because they're older? Or maybe they had stickers originally? Any guesses on age?

Also, the bottom is matte. What does that say about the type of clay used?

I bought them yesterday at a consignment shop for $2 each and couldn't resist 'cause they're so pretty.

 

They look Japanese.
I don't think they are butter pats.
Maybe nut dishes. There would have been 6 dishes and a master dish.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=japanese+nut+dishes&FORM=HDRSC2

 

These are lovely and they appear to be hand-painted porcelain, not clay per se.

 

Good to see you back, Pat! They're celery salts, almost certainly Japanese: https://www.google.com/search?q=por...VEheAKHU-AAS4Q_AUoAnoECAsQBA&biw=1536&bih=754

~Cheryl

 

I just learned something new here. They are very pretty Pat. Would make nice table decor for a bridal shower too.

 

Very pretty!

Leslie

 

Thanks, everyone... really appreciate the info.

I wondered if they were Japanese but wasn't sure what it meant that they weren't marked. Missing labels? I'm assuming not old enough to be from before marks were required? So Nippon or post-Nippon?

The tag said "butter pats" but I actually wondered if they were salts since I have some EAPG ones. I'm curious if these little salts were always used with celery or are there other types of salts as well?

 

Also, is there significance to the bottom being unglazed? Does it indicate lesser quality, or the age?

I know enough about these types of things to occasionally have hunches, but not enough to ever be sure of anything!

 

Thanks, Cheryl!

 

I thought porcelain is made from kaolin clay?

 

I'm not sure, suffice to say it is highly refined

 

For sure.

I didn't think porcelain at first because the sides seemed thicker to me than what I'd expect with porcelain. But a light does shine through the bottom so I guess they are? I only have a passing understanding of the different types of ceramics.