Tea and coffee cups are amongst the most collectable of all ceramics. They are easily found, appear in all kinds of shapes and patterns, are decorative to look at, are easily displayed and can be relatively inexpensive. They have been made in Britain since the middle of the eighteenth century and have evolved as an art form in their own right. The changes in design reflect the advances made in manufacturing processes and materials as well as changes in the fashions of society.
Introduction; Early wares; New shapes of the early nineteenth century;
Pattern numbers; The later nineteenth century; The Edwardian and Art Deco
periods; Further reading; Places to visit
Steven Goss has been involved in the antiques trade for over twenty years, a s a full-time professional dealer, specialist consultant to a leading provincial auction house, writer and collector. He is an enthusiastic collector of British tea and coffee cups and lives in Suffolk.
