The Story
The label wraps the entire mug. And it should — because this one has too much going on to be contained in a small panel.
Handelmij Hendrik. Makassar. 恒益公司. The rooster portrait, the revolver, the deep crimson ground, the scrollwork arch — all of it repeating around the circumference of a black ceramic mug like a pre-war propaganda poster that somehow ended up in your kitchen. Bold, strange, historically loaded, and completely unforgettable at 7 in the morning.
This is one of the rarest labels in the Ichinichi archive. Commissioned by a Dutch trading house operating out of Makassar, Sulawesi — in the heart of the Dutch East Indies — and printed in Japan with the distinctive combination of Chinese merchant characters, Dutch company name, and Indonesian city that tells you exactly how layered the commercial world of pre-war Southeast Asia really was. The rooster and revolver pairing was a deliberate brand image, conveying strength and authority to markets across the archipelago.
On a mug, it becomes something else: a conversation starter, a collector's object, a daily reminder that the world has always been stranger and more interconnected than we remember.
Who This Is For
For the history enthusiast, the Dutch East Indies researcher, the Japanese vintage collector, and the person whose morning coffee ritual deserves something with genuine provenance. Also an exceptional gift for anyone fascinated by colonial Asian trade history, Japonisme, or simply striking graphic design from an era that did not do subtle.
This is the mug for the person who already knows what Makassar is and for the person who is about to find out.
About the Collection
Every design in the Ichinichi Collection is sourced from a personal archive of original Japanese matchbox labels spanning 1880 to 1940. The Dutch East Indies export labels are among the rarest and most historically complex pieces in the archive produced at the intersection of Dutch colonialism, Japanese printing mastery, and Chinese merchant networks across maritime Southeast Asia.
Product Details
- Material: 100% ceramic with glossy finish
- Sizes: 11oz (0.33 l) and 15oz (0.44 l)
- Handle: C-shaped easy-grip
- Microwave safe · Dishwasher safe
- Lead-free · BPA-free
- Print: High-quality sublimation printing full wraparound label design
- Color: Black matte exterior
Please note: There is a subtle variance between the black of the mug and the default black background of the print file this is normal and expected.
