all the wiggly kittens

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. V. Everit Macy, 1923. www.metmuseum.org. OASC 

What are there, four of these little monsters?  They're perfect, tubby and squirmy, and their momcat clearly can't decide if she's proud or about to go crazy.  This piece of Banko ceramic ware dates from late 19th-c Japan.  Banko ware was developed in the 18th century and still thrives today in Yokkaichi (Mie Prefecture).  It was developed as a source of tea services.  It also lent itself well to other useful table goods and to decorative items, of which the family above is a winsome example.  The Banko Pottery Center is still in thriving business, as you'll see here.