Time for Tea
30 September
We might drink our morning brew from an Emma Bridgewater mug, but porcelain teacups are still sought after by collectors.
Poppy McKenzie Smith
Poppy McKenzie Smith writes for The Telegraph about old, fast cars and spends most of her time at auctions encouraging other people to buy them. In 2018, she was involved in the sale of a 1961 Aston Martin which became the most expensive British car ever sold in Europe.
A large Sevres cup and saucer (gobelet calabre et soucoupe) of the first size, 1766, saucer D: 15.4 cm, cup H: 8cm. Painter’s mark for Charles-Louis Méraud le jeune.
Image courtesy of E & H Manners.
According to the UK Tea Association, we Brits drink nearly 100 million cups of tea every day. It is offered in times of crisis and sipped at times of reflection. We adore the stuff, but how does this obsession seep into the world of art, antiques and collecting?
Enter the teacup collectors, a diverse group of enthusiasts who dedicate hours, months and even years to hunting down and identifying beautiful teacups and tea services across the world. However, Fergus Gambon, Head of British Ceramics and Glass at Bonhams, explains that teacups, saucers and other tea set items are more often bought to be admired rather than used. “Certainly with regards to the 18th century, the cups aren’t used at all. They are studied and hugely enjoyed by their owners, just not at tea time.” For one, they aren’t dishwasher friendly, and he rightly points out that people today would rather a large swig of tea or coffee from a mug than a delicate (and highly breakable) cup and saucer. There’s a reason those hefty Emma Bridgewater mugs are so popular.
Derby Trio, circa 1780, coffee cup H: 6.5cm, tea bowl H: 5cm, saucer D:12cm.
Image courtesy of W. W. Warner Antiques.
There was a time, however, when these ornate porcelain sets could be found in almost every home in Britain. Following the industrial revolution, the 18th century saw the birth of a large middle class with both spare time and money to revel in previously unimagined luxury. Taking tea in the afternoon became an unmissable event just as factories woke up to mass production of porcelain, and tea services were being created at lighting speed. The likes of Meissen, Sèvres and Delft had been the preserve of the aristocracy and royalty, but they were now catering to a mass market of tea lovers. By the 19th century, most working class homes would also have been furnished with a porcelain set for high days and holidays.
As the popularity of tea sets grew, their designs became more diverse as different potters across Europe joined the game. By the 20th century, the delicate floral patterns and gilt rims had given way to the bold hues and innovative shapes of the Art Deco period - designers such as Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper led the charge with their glorious splashes of colour.
New Hall Trio, circa 1815, porcelain, England, painted with an Imari pattern of fruiting vines.
Image courtesy of W. W. Warner Antiques.
The contrast between their creations and the almost diaphanous pieces of the 18th century go some way to illustrating the diversity available to teacup collectors today, making it highly important for those starting out in collecting to buy what appeals to them rather than letting the market dictate their choices. Chris Jowitt of W. W. Warner Antiques impresses the importance of choosing a preferred period at sticking to it, be it Georgian, Regency, Victorian or more modern. “The styles are very different, and do not display well together. It is not necessary to keep to one factory, in fact collections are more interesting when a few factories are collected together, but it is essential to keep to the period.” This approach is a reminder that these are items collected for display rather than use, so how they will be arranged and viewed is a huge consideration for collectors. Jowitt advises keeping your Georgian chinoiserie away from the likes of the Japanese Kakiemon to best showcase each piece, and of course to indicate to fellow collectors that you know what you’re doing. “A shelf for each genre looks amazing,” he adds.
A good collection tends to be made up of individual pieces rather than sprawling sets, and both Gambon and Jowitt admit to knowing of only two or three individuals who collect sets en masse. “It is a question of space in some instances,” explains Gambon, “but also of availability. Many sets have been naturally split up since the 18th century, but some have also been split by specialists too.” There are some collectors who prefer cups, others focus on creamers or sugar bowls. Miniature sets can be popular too, yet another indicator that these items are collected for their beauty and craftsmanship rather than their ability to safely contain hot liquids.
As with many collecting spheres – jewellery and motor cars spring to mind - age is not necessarily an indicator of great value. Gambon explains that a “good regency tea service from a known maker could be available for £100-£150, whereas something from a contemporary potter in a desirable style could reach tens of thousands despite being more modern.” The ten most valuable teapots sold at auction span the decades from 18th century Meissen porcelain examples (part of a set which sold for more than £500,000) to a 1940s Chinese unglazed clay teapot which achieved nearly $2M.
These dizzying sums are by no means the norm. One of the most appealing aspects of teacup collecting is its accessible entry price points. The mass production of certain items does not diminish their beauty, and it is quite possible for a collector to amass a charming range of their preferred style without reaching the thousand pound mark. Jowitt ends with a sensible recommendation: “Buying the best is always the best policy. Instead of buying ten normal pieces of porcelain a year, buy one rare or exceptional piece and the enjoyment will surely follow.”
A Chelsea ‘Lady in a Pavilion’ octagonal teabowl and saucer, circa 1750-53, saucer 12 cm across, teabowl 7.6 cm across.
Image courtesy of E & H Manners.
Pair of Chelsea teabowls and saucer, circa 1755, porcelain, England, tea bowls H: 4.5cm and D: 7cm, saucers D: 11cm.
Image courtesy of W. W. Warner Antiques.
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