Floral Teacup for a Blackberry Picnic

What can you do with a lovely floral teacup? Why, put it on some white linen and take it on a picnic, of course! Before we do that though, let’s start with the original Instagram post, as always. (Click here for a little Teacup Tuesday background.)

Teacup Tuesday 03 SEP 2019

Well it’s Tuesday once again my friends, and that means our weekly teacup! This is a pretty little demitasse floral teacup, another from my neighbor’s collection. It makes me think of summer berries for some reason – maybe because it was summer and the berries were out when I went to take my photos! I really love the textures of the flowery cup and the deeply colored berries and leaves, and this pure white background is perfect to show them off. The edges are so sharp and clear against the white. I’m really having so much fun with this photography thing! Come on over to the blog for more info – just click my profile link or stop over to MANTELandTABLE.com. Thanks so much for being here, and Happy Teacup Tuesday!

Floral Teacup Tidbits

One of the things I love about this cup is that the trim is red. I don’t remember seeing one with red trim before, and it’s so fun and different. Wouldn’t it be perfect for a cozy tea party picnic at the edge of a big grassy field? Right next to some blackberry bushes. I love the smell of warm ripe berries still on the bush in the late summer – there’s nothing else like it!

I also really liked the little branches painted on it. See how their relatively minimal lines contrast with the rounded beauty of the flowers? It might have been that contrast that inspired the minimal pure white background. Imagine some white linen with our blackberry tea party picnic.

Manufacturer’s Info

There’s a lot of history in this floral teacup! We’ll start in the early 1930’s in England, with the Jackson & Gosling Ltd company – creators of a very popular brand of china called Grosvenor. In fact, it was so popular, that they sold it to another china company, W.T. Copeland and Sons Ltd., (formerly Spode.) Copeland’s then took over the production of the Grosvenor brand, and added their stamp.

These pieces have a lot of information on their undersides! See the imprint on the bottom of the saucer? Between 1870 and 1963, Copeland’s used a date code. They stamped one letter for the month, above a two number year. So we know they made our lovely floral teacup in December of 1943.

I haven’t been able to find any pattern name, but I’m pretty sure the handwritten “9103 L” is the pattern number. I love when it’s that easy!

But what happened to those old china companies, you ask? Well, Jackson & Gosling Ltd continued to produce other china brands until 1961. Copeland’s went through several name and ownership changes, finally reverting to their original name of Spode. Unfortunately in 2008, Spode went into administration (the UK equivalent of bankruptcy.) In 2009, Portmeirion Group purchased the brand name, and they’re still making Spode brand china today! More history HERE.

Floral Teacup Behind the Scenes

This photo setup was pretty easy, since I had just gotten myself a whole bunch of 12″ x 12″ pieces of tagboard in different colors and textures. I realized a while ago that every room in our house needs to be painted! And we really don’t get much light inside anyway.

Also there’s really nowhere in the yard to take pictures without cars or streets or what have you. So ready-made backgrounds seemed like the thing to do.

I just laid a bright white piece down on the patio table. Then leaned another piece up against one of our little lanterns that I moved over to hold it up. Fortunately it wasn’t too windy that day, and nothing blew over or got dirty or any of that.

I’m happy to say that was one of the easier photo sessions so far. And I got pictures I really love of this beautiful floral teacup!

———- Teacup Shopping ———-

If you love teacups as much as I do and want to start or add to your collection, Click HERE for the Shopping Page. Then click on the picture of the teacup.

Have a Lovely Teacup Tuesday!

This Post Shared With

• Metamorphosis Monday #554 – Hosted by Between Naps on the Porch