Coffee Cup and Saucer
MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1805-1810
MediumWheel-thrown Chinese export porcelain with overglaze gilding and enamels in brown and peach
DimensionsComponent (height x width including handle x depth of coffee cup): 2 3/4 x 3 7/8 x 2 7/8in. (7 x 9.8 x 7.3cm)
Component (diameter of saucer): 5 1/8in. (13cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineBequest of George Dudley Seymour
Object number1945.1.1465a-b
DescriptionRound, Chinese export porcelain coffee cup and saucer with gilding and hand-painted overglaze enamels in brown and peach. Both the coffee cup and saucer are decorated with a single hand-painted eagle. The eagle has a shield body and clutches a branch in one claw and arrows in the other. The eagle's wings are outstretched, and the head faces left. Above the eagle's head, in a semi-circular area, is a field of peach enamel with small gilded stars. This area is outlined by a semi-circular line of brown enamel above, and a gilded sunburst pattern above that. The eagle is painted with brown enamel highlighted in gilding. A script, gilded letter "F" is hand-painted in the center of the shield.
Coffee cup (.a): The coffee cup sits on a flat foot and has vertical sides. A handle is applied to one side of the coffee cup, consisting of two strands of molded porcelain that have been twisted together. Small dots of red enamel have been applied to the raised leaf decoration where the handle meets the body of the coffee cup. The eagle described above is hand-painted opposite the handle, and there is a line of gilding at the rim. The gilding at the rim is mostly worn off, and the gilding on the eagle has a few areas of loss.
Saucer (.b): The saucer sits on a flat foot and has straight sides that extend out at a forty-five degree angle from the foot. The eagle described above is hand-painted in the center of the saucer, and there is a gilded border at the rim. There is some loss to the gilding at the rim, and a few spots of gilding are missing from the eagle.
Coffee cup (.a): The coffee cup sits on a flat foot and has vertical sides. A handle is applied to one side of the coffee cup, consisting of two strands of molded porcelain that have been twisted together. Small dots of red enamel have been applied to the raised leaf decoration where the handle meets the body of the coffee cup. The eagle described above is hand-painted opposite the handle, and there is a line of gilding at the rim. The gilding at the rim is mostly worn off, and the gilding on the eagle has a few areas of loss.
Saucer (.b): The saucer sits on a flat foot and has straight sides that extend out at a forty-five degree angle from the foot. The eagle described above is hand-painted in the center of the saucer, and there is a gilded border at the rim. There is some loss to the gilding at the rim, and a few spots of gilding are missing from the eagle.
Status
Not on view
