Vintage Noritake Hand-Painted Salt and Pepper Set (Retired Pattern) This is a rare, beautiful set of Vintage, Hand-Painted Noritake China Salt Pepper Shakers. ("Signed") Noritake has been in production since 1904. They are known for their superior artistry and craftsmanship, attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality. Today's Noritake Company grew out of a trading company that was originally established by the Morimura Brothers in New York in 1876. They imported chinaware and other gift items. In 1904, the forerunner of the Noritake Company was established in the village of Noritake, a small suburb near Nagoya, Japan. This factory was designed to create western style dinnerware for export. It took until 1914, however, to create the first porcelain dinnerware plate considered suitable for global export. The early dinnerware pieces were mostly hand-painted, often with liberal applications of gold. (Information found on the Noritake Official Web Page.) They are 3" tall and a 2 1/2" wide base. These are a real treasure and could not be found on other referenced sites. Better grab them today.