Featured Lovely tea cup and saucer for discussion

Hello community!
Friends, I’ve been away for over a month — busy with renovation and reorganising the space

You’re very welcome to visit if you’re ever in Nottingham — for a cup of tea or coffee ☕

Now, I have something for discussion.

I believe this could be French, 18th century — roughly somewhere between 1740 and 1760. The porcelain is beautiful and translucent when held to the light. It’s hand-painted. The cup is actually quite large — 10.5 cm in diameter at the top and 7 cm high. The saucer measures 16.5 cm. There are no visible marks at all. Inside the cup there was once a small painted flower as well, but it has clearly worn over time.

I absolutely love the set and have found a few approximate references, but I would really value the opinion of the community. What do you think about the date and place of manufacture?

What I especially adore is the little “sun” on the saucer It cleverly disguises a small porcelain imperfection — a tiny raised dot in the centre. And what could be better than painting a delicate starburst around it, as if it had been planned all along?

I can almost imagine the artist’s sly smile:
“Oh, that’s not a problem at all… we’ll fix that right now.”

 

Oh, that is so sweet! Sadly, I can't say much about the date, but it is early, I think. Whether late 18th or early 19th, I have no idea. Large cups were called "breakfast" cups -- large for milky tea in the morning. Now whether this is true for your, I don't know that. Hopefully, others will have more info.

 

Thank you @kentworld ! I am still looking everywhere) If I'll find out, of course there will be update here.

 

Not a clue here, I'm American and old porcelain really isn't my cuppa, but it sure is pretty.

 

That is a beautiful teacup. Re: the tiny sun, I had a tour among the beautiful old folk art including theorem paintings on velvet at Old Sturbridge Village (Massachusetts, US) where I learned that many times, if you see a butterfly or bee on a theorem painting, it was a probably drop of paint or a dropped brush that left a mark, so the artist cleverly painted a little insect around the spot. Also wanted to say your photos are great!

 

That’s a story for me to remember!!! Indeed, what a painters!

 

From Google's AI info:

Originally, saucers were not designed as coasters, but rather as functional tools for cooling hot beverages, as tea and coffee were initially served in handle-less bowls.

Early 18th Century (Europe): As tea reached Europe, the custom of drinking from the saucer—rather than the cup—became common to allow the hot liquid to cool faster.
Mid-18th Century (Design Evolution): The center indentation or raised ring on the saucer, designed to keep the cup in place, was introduced around the 1750s.
19th Century (Handles): As teacups added handles (roughly 1810–1850), the saucer transitioned from a "cooling dish" to a coaster and a place to rest the spoon, making drinking directly from the saucer less common.
...
The breakfast cup is approximately 3 ¼ inches in height by 4 ½ to 5 ¾ inches in diameter. The companion saucer measures 6 ¾ to 8 ¾ inches across.
...
The term "breakfast cup" originated in the early-to-mid 19th century, gaining prominence as a distinct, larger type of teacup designed for morning consumption of tea or coffee.

I hope this general information is helpful a bit.

 

thank you, it is helpful!

 

Hello everyone!
I had a few chats with people. And one lady gave me direction to Swansea porcelain.
Quote:
A very common pattern though the detail on the violas, pansies whatever you wish to call them is superior to most versions. Most of these porringer shape cups (c 1813-15) illustrated in The Compendium of British Cups are Spode and that gilding on the handle is typically Spode except the central row of dots missing. A Swansea version is shown, very similar but perhaps a more distinct flare on the rim, also a Coalport version, other factories have different shaped handles on the basic porringer cup. The shapes are so similar that without being able to angle your cup to exactly mimic the views in the book. I'm not risking an opinion though a duck egg translucency would confirm Swansea.
Also Derby used this type of pattern and of course there is no guarantee that with only my copy of the Compendium to work from that a Derby version of this shape was not made...just no example found by the author.

So I had a look to some old shapes and patterns. Want to share one very very close to mine.
Sold by Bonhams. The shape of the handle is identical. So for now I think it is Swansea. But need to find some references.
Thanks all.

 

Porringer cup -- new one to me, but that handle rather nails it for me. I'm happier that it lands in the 19th c date-wise. The scattered floral design seems more French to me than English, but pansies and roses are English motifs. The less flared rim and more restrained gilding might mean another factory, but I wouldn't know. Perhaps the FB British Pottery and Porcelain discussion group might help, or the other FB British Porcelain group where it's fine to discuss items you want to sell.