I have a pot (chocolate or coffee, I am not sure which) and 4 cups and saucers that have several stray gold dots and grayish marks on it (see the last photo), as well as the underside of the pot being incompletely glazed. It has a Morimura (Noritake) Nippon mark on it, but all the marks are worn or incomplete. They certainly look like the ones I have seen online, but they could be a good fake. The pot certainly seems old to me, and is worn in all the right places for a hand-painted item. The marks seems to be slightly rough when you run your finger over them.
Did they sell seconds, and if so did they perhaps deface the mark to indicate that? I know some manufacturers will scratch the mark, or add additional marks to the bottom of pieces to indicate a second.
Any information or opinions would be appreciated.
The pot is approx 9 inches tall including the lid and the cup is approx 2.75 inches tall.