Period: 20th Century
Maker: Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Nymphenburg
A beautiful pair of pure white Empire mocha cups and saucers with gold bands, handmade by the famous Nymphenburg factory in Munich.
Nymphenburg first made these cups between 1815 and 1820, inspired by the French Empire style in the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. Nymphenburg revived their manufacture in the 20th Century and this pair were made sometimes between 1910 and 1975. Nymphenburg still makes Empire mocha cups to special order.
Easily missed at first glance underneath the handle is the moulded face of a bearded man. Mascarons like this are normally architectural motifs, but are also frequently found below the spouts of antique ceramic jugs.
The cups and saucers bear the Nymphenburg mark used between 1910 and 1975, a shield printed in green underglaze. On the saucers, Königlich (royal) is printed above the shield, and Nymphenburg below. On the cups, Königlich is omitted.
The cup bottoms are impressed with the small shield used on all Nymphenburg products, together with a model or shape number, 69, and a hook shape that is probably the potter’s mark. The saucers are impressed with a different model number, 65, the size number, 2, and a long, curved hook shape that may identify the same potter. There are also a painted ‘177’ and a cursive ‘23’ that could be pattern and tally numbers.
Condition: Almost perfect, with just a couple of minor scratches.
Cups Height 9 cm; Diameter: 7.9 cm; Width, incl. handle: 9.7 cm
Saucer Diameter: 13.4 cm
Net weight: 516 g
Medium: Hard-paste porcelain
Origin: Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich (München), Germany
