Featured Chinoiserie imari cup and saucer for ID

Dear community, hello everyone!
I’m researching this cup and saucer, but I can’t find any identical examples. It looks very similar to Minton’s Imari pattern, but the horseman in particular is what’s puzzling me. It hardly seems truly “oriental”, because the horse feels rather English in character.

My current guess is that it may be English porcelain from the first half of the 19th century — though I may well be mistaken, and I do have doubts. Would anyone be able to share more information about the pattern or the cup shape/form? Thanks in advance.

 

I did find two with the horse and rider but neither is identified. One is guessing Minton and they actually have a smudge as well as three dots which look like they "could" be Minton marks from 1851 on their saucer.

However, your cup is different in shape and decor and the base of your saucer is made quite differently.

Anyway, here these examples are.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/116362894968
Antique 19th century Minton? Asian Imari Pattern with a man riding a horse



Examples of Minton marks and dating that seems it could be consistent with theirs.

https://www.potteriesauctions.com/news/minton-pottery-markings-guide-backstamps



This one has a similar pattern also but is also different in shape and other decoration than yours.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35799959...55-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050

Antique English Porcelain Chinoiserie Tea Cup Oriental Man On Horse Back A/F





Not very helpful I'm afraid.

 

I would only disagree on one point — that it wasn’t very helpful. Research is usually a long process, where every hint opens up new possibilities and leads to further discoveries.

Thank you very, very much!

 

So here are few examples of cups, with the same shape of the handle. So I think it is Minton. But, mu set is unmarked. Could it be before 1805? Early Minton earthenware and pre-1805 porcelains appear to be unmarked. First marks with "539" was not used on any pieces without gilding. Mine - with gilding. So what do you think, could it be 18th Century set? Or like 1800-1805?

 

The site below is interesting for cup and handle shapes. Your cup has a ring handle which was used from late 18th throughout the 19th c. Minton is quite likely, possibly New Hall. Looking at early 19th c. Google lens' suggestion was Minton's Amherst Japan pattern, but there's no horseman in it.
https://fineart-restoration.co.uk/n...ing-the-age-and-value-of-teacups-and-teapots/

 

I found a photo of the pattern on a different piece, some serving thing I believe.

It's an Instagram photo and I no longer have an account there so can't view more of it. Possibly there are more photos or info?

https://share.google/images/XIUnDpq6dEjED6seb

 

Thank you!! This one is attributed to Minton, but unmarked as well.

 

seems to me theres a few different varieties here using the same pattern

yours is very unusual looking to my eye.

what is noticable though (about yours) is that the blue is transfer (i'm thinking)

think that went right back to the early 1800s ish

the recess in the saucer base looks late 19th century to me though

just thoughts.......nothing definitive i'm afraid

 

Oh)) thank you. What a mystery. Love that!
And here is an example of Davenport cup with lookalike pattern. Picture quality is poor, but all I have. Mine cup most likely Minton because of the shape of the handle.
Saucer recess is not a size of cup, much bigger. I thought it is just a shape.

 

I will take a closeup of blue to find out.

 

yeah i mean that recess on the bottom of the saucer buddy, that makes me think a bit later

it didn't strike me as transfer at first either, but pretty sure it is

 

Perhaps cup and saucer are a marriage.

Debora

 

its an interesting thought (and pondered it mysef), but the tranfer style/type looks the same on both pieces

 

It is sooo unusual looking, but in a great way!

 

Just as an aside the Chinese very much did depict English and European figures on porcelain and in paintings. It’s fairly common. People there trading were commissioning work with familiar themes. The Chinese were also probably doing some for their own amusement. Hunt scenes with European figures are probably the most common. I don’t think the Japanese did it as much but I’m guessing they also would for the right price. Obviously Imari is a Japanese pattern but the Chinese also used it. Your piece seems to clearly be from the west like you said but don’t let a western figure throw you off course if everything else seems right for Asian made.

 

I wonder if the British Transferware group on Facebook would recognize the pattern since it seems a number of factories used it.