Period: Regency/Early Victorian
Maker: Grainger, Lee & Co.
A delightful teacup and saucer made by Grainger between 1835 and 1839. The shape is called ‘Gloster’ in the Grainger pattern books. In his Compendium of British Cups, Michael Berthoud describes it as having a ‘beaded rim interrupted by scrolls and small moulded flowers’ and a ring handle. The potting is quite heavy, with a creamy glaze that lends softness to the enamel decoration.
In various partnerships, Grainger was one of three factories making porcelain in Worcester in the 19thCentury. Thomas Grainger was an apprentice at Chamberlain’s Worcester factory and established a rival porcelain company, the ‘New China Works,’ with his partner John Wood in 1801. Grainger was eventually bought out by Royal Worcester in 1889.
The saucer and inside of the of the teacup are decorated with hand-coloured bouquets of English garden flowers.
Condition Almost perfect antique condition. A few surface scratches visible on close inspection. The outside of the cup has a couple of tiny (2mm) spots of missing glaze, and the bottom of the saucer shows some impurities in the glaze, but these imperfections date from manufacture.
Cup height: 5.9 cm; width with handle: 12.3 cm
Saucer diameter: 14.2 cm
Weight: 269 g
Medium: Bone china (porcelain)
Origin: Worcester, England
