MYSTERY Steamship Cup & Saucer ~ Nitto Shosen?

This steamship cup and saucer came from the estate of a ship's pilot. According to his heir, he worked in the Panama Canal circa 1963-1979. Custom was to tip the pilot for safely steering the ship through the canal. Usual tips were a bottle of whisky or a carton of cigarettes but this gentleman neither imbibed not smoked so he always asked for a cup and saucer or plate off each vessel.

I have given up trying to track down which shipping company used this cup and saucer! The closest I could come to an ID was Nitto Shosen Steamship Co. Ltd. of Tokyo but their red and white house flag doesn't match the oh so festive pink, purple and lavender color scheme of this set.

Both cup and saucer are marked with the purple house flag with a white O within and white stripes top and bottom and pink and lavender stripes around the rims.

The saucer measures 5 5/8 inches in diameter. The cup stands 2 1/2 inches tall. This set was made by Mino, as is marked in a diamond on the bottom of each piece.

There are no chips, cracks or hairlines on the saucer but the cup has a few chips on the bottom which really don't detract when the cup is sitting on the saucer. It's well worth adding to your steamship collection. Feel free to contact me if you can ID this set!