Chocolate Cups, monogrammed SP and EB

The British Museum has put several photographs of the above-mentioned Chocolate Cups (I prefer to think of them as “pots”) – but you have to dig to find (BM claims to have redesigned their website – and have broken links).

I’ve dug up the page that allows you a close-up look at the Ladies of LLangollen’s porcelain Chocolate Cups. They are enchanting!

Currently attributed to the DERBY Porcelain Factory (at least replacement pieces are so attributed). “The cups have previously been attributed to the Bristol China Manufactory, but they are not a known Bristol shape and the ceramic body does not resemble Bristol paste (information kindly supplied by Errol Manners, January 2018). One lid and one saucer made later as replacements.” One saucer has “EB” and the other “SP” (though this one more indistinct) under the “cup”. The twisted handles give the cups a bit of whimsy. And it is so easy to think of Sarah and Eleanor enjoying their hot chocolate, à la Fiordiligi and Dorabella (in Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte).