A good Worcester coffee cup, circa 1753-54
Of quatrelobed shape, the crisply moulded double-scrolled handle with raised thumbrest, the front panel delicately painted with a gesturing Chinese figure holding a parasol, the side panels with flowering plants growing from rockwork, a crested bird perched on one of the branches, 6.7cm high, incised numeral 5
Footnotes:
Provenance
A J Smith Collection
Gwen and Ronald McKnight Melvin Collection, Simon Spero exhibition, 2007, no.14
M Warburton Collection
Robyn Robb Collection

The elegant handle speaks of influences from contemporary rococo silver. An example with a less elaborate handle is illustrated and discussed by Sandon and Spero, The Zorensky Collection (1996), p.83, no.28. The incised '5' to the underside of the present lot is a most unusual feature on early Worcester.