Identifying an antique tea set

I love a good mystery to apply my wits to

 

A possibility, but I doubt it as much that was exported from Japan even back then was of a "cheaper" quality and it wouldn't make sense to import from Germany, IMHO.

 

Yes that makes sense.

I still think this looks like a German blank. Much of the Japanese porcelain from the 1890s-1910s was paper thin. This doesn't appear to be that, plus there's the beading and the flower in the handle.

 

It is actually paper thin – well, blotting paper thin. I've just had a look at a cup and I can easily see the external painting from the inside - it shines through. Apologies for my very delayed response, we went on holiday. Does anyone know how thin German porcelain was at this time and quite how paper thin Japanese was?

 

No, but I don't think the maker of the blank is important, just the decorator.