Japanese porcelain bowl, hand decorated in Hong Kong, with pewter sheathing (Director Credit: Charlie)

This bowl is 5.5" in diameter x 1.5" high. It is marked on the back "Y.T. (triangle) Japanese Porcelain Wares Hand Decorated in Hong Kong". The porcelain is so thin that I can see the shadow of my fingers through it. It is sheathed in a thick coat of pewter. I do not have access to a scale here, but guessing it weighs between 1 and 2 lbs. It is in like new condition, but I think it has some age to it. I have not picked up any of the Hong Kong Japanese porcelain I have seen until now as this is an odd piece. I found several versions of this bowl in ebay. A $1.99 Goodwill find.

My images are not great as I had to shoot them with a large cat squirming in my lap. Charlie was obviously upset that he did not get a director credit on my recent table post. He was a rescue, found in a shelter when I was looking for a lost cat. He seemed so depressed, a recent arrival without even an exam, yet. Out of the 100 or so cats in the shelter, I could not get him out of my mind and the next day called the shelter and committed to adopting him. I had only petted him through the bars of the cage.

When I went to pick him up, they brought him out into the parking lot to transfer him from their carrier into mine. I was stunned at the size of him. He just kept coming out of the cage without seeming to ever end. I had no idea he was so long. When I got him home, I measured him from nose to rump at 24", not counting his tail. They estimated him to be 7 years old but I was sure he was older and guessed 9 or 10, but my vet said he was 11 or 12.

Guessing his previous owner died and he was just dumped at the shelter. The shelter had no history on him. He was apparently well cared for, a bit under weight, but great teeth and otherwise healthy. I try to only adopt senior cats so was actually pleased with his age. He is a sweetie. A cuddler and lap cat, though I cannot get him on my lap, I have to put my legs up in a chair until his huge head can overlap my hip joint and he can then stretch out down my legs, past my knees. He is a large, long, bony, gangly boy.