A Lowestoft Coffee Cup, circa 1785
This Lowestoft coffee cup is decorated with overglaze enamels in the manner of Chinese export wares of the last quarter of the eighteenth century. A central design of a flower-filled cornucopia (horn of plenty) is surrounded by floral sprigs and sprays. The inner border consists of festooned purple flowers suspended from a red enamel line.
These often so-called Curtis patterns are named for the Lowestoft ‘china painter’ Thomas Curtis, who decorated wares in the predominantly famille rose Chinese export style from around 1775 until the closure of the factory at the end of the century.
Condition: No chips or restoration, just a faint hairline from the rim. This is mostly disguised beneath the enamel painting of the cornucopia, but can just be seen inside the cup, where it measures approximately 3 cm. There are also the expected minor firing and glazing anomalies often associated with the production of Lowestoft porcelain, including glaze-crawl close to the lower ‘kick’ handle terminal and also to the interior well. Light kiln dust is also present.
Dimensions: Height 6.2 cm
The Illustrated Guide to Lowestoft Porcelain, Geoffrey A. Godden (Praeger, 1969).
Lowestoft Porcelain in Norwich Castle Museum, Volume 2, Sheenah Smith (Norfolk Museums Service, 1975).