need help on some vintage porcelain teacup sets

Hello, I bought a case of vintage teacup sets.
Some are marked as Limoges, some are either not marked or with marks I cannot identify. Attached, please find the photos. I wonder if you could help me to identify?
Thanks for your comments

 

Mercer is the name of the hobbyist who painted the 2 with that name on them.

 

The ones you added were no doubt also hobbyist painted, but were not signed. A lot were not.

 

By "hobbyist" you mean the porcelain was not painted by the manufacture, instead someone bought the plain porcelain and painted on it as hobby?

 

Correct. Many women in the US had this hobby in the period circa 1900.

 

I see. I just wonder if there is still collective or market value on those porcelain teacups?

 

My SIL's mom was a porcelain hobby painter much more recently. I think she took classes, did it for years and she was still painting in the 1990s or so. Many of her items are similar to yours. We treasure them as family items but never looked at resale. Just wanted to expand the date range a bit.

 

If inhered from family and you have emotional attachment, I agree it invaluable. But in my case, I need to make some decision on those stocks, either sell them or donate to goodwill.

 

BTW, in the same lot there is a Limoges plate. I wonder what is its name? seems like a inkwell plate but I am not sure.

 

That kind of plate holds a tea or coffee cup in the ring and holds sandwich or cake in the flat area.

 

does it have a name, like breakfast plate?

 

When I lived in St. Pete Fl back in the 80s china painting was still a popular hobby. There was a club right up the street from my house and they would have huge sales several times a year. I would go and buy the most beautiful stuff for like .25 each. Some of those ladies were very skilled. I wish I had some of it still.

 

Could be called a luncheon plate, sandwich plate or buffet plate.

 

I’ve see them called "tennis sets", I suppose for snacks and tea after an invigorating game of tennis (or watching tennis).
(EDIT: Or is it because the plate is shaped like the head of a tennis racquet?)
Pity the painter of your cup/saucer sets wasn't more talented, they look rather beginner/crudely done to me.

 

I like the name of "tennis sets". Initially I thought it was for inkwell.