chocolate cup and trembleuse saucer

Spode c 1770

Summary

Public: Two-handled chocolate cup, cover and saucer, soft paste porcelain, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze red enamel and gilt, with Japanese 'Imari' style pattern. Private: Conical chocolate cup with inverted foot and two scrolling loop handles. Decorated with 'Imari' style pattern in two bands divided by underglaze blue borderline. Upper band contains blue and gilt mirror-shaped cartouche on one side, filled with simple flowers and leaves, with blue tail terminating in gilt chrysanthemum to the right. Two fans in blue, red and gilt on other side, with undulating blue stems that end in bunches of blue and gilt berries. Fill-in pattern of petals and leaves in red enamel. Lower band consists of two ornate Japanese vases surrounded with simple red and gilt flowers and leaves. Gilt bands to foot and cup rim, handles picked out in gilt outlines and feathery detail. Shallow domed cover with gilt ball finial, decorated with variation of same pattern consisting of single cartouche and two fans. Trembleuse saucer with curved sides, tall straight footring and accentuated recess. Decoration consists of two cartouche motifs alternating with two fan motifs. Japanese vase and flowers in centre of well. Plain gilt band to saucer rim.