A Worcester Coffee Cup, circa 1770
This neatly potted coffee cup is painted in bright colours with a spray of formal flowers and scattered sprigs. The underglaze blue ‘bubble’ border is of particular interest, as this is rarely ever found in conjunction with European decoration, being reserved almost entirely for chinoiserie patterns. Gilt line rim and a fine grooved handle.
Painted ‘W’ mark in underglaze blue.
Condition: No damage or restoration, just minor potting and firing flaws. Part of the blue border ran in the glaze, and there are underglaze clay tears to the applied handle terminals. There is an impurity in the paste which appears as a tiny pimple. The green enamel misfired slightly in places, being a notoriously difficult colour to achieve.
Dimensions: Height 6.4 cm
Worcester Porcelain 1751-1790: The Zorensky Collection, Simon Spero & John Sandon (Antique Collectors’ Club, 1996).