Saucer 1855 - 1875

This is a saucer made by Coalport, a British porcelain company active from 1794 to 1926. This piece embodies the global exchange of aesthetics prevalent during its time. The blue-and-white design, with its stylized floral motifs, reflects the profound influence of Chinese porcelain on European ceramics. Yet, it was also made for a decidedly British ritual: tea time. Tea drinking in Britain, beginning in the 18th century, became deeply entwined with social class and gender. Elegant wares like this Coalport saucer were central to this ritual, signifying status and refinement. Who had access to these objects, and who was excluded? What does it mean for the domestic rituals of empire to be so deeply shaped by exported aesthetics? While seemingly delicate and decorative, this saucer holds a complex history of trade, taste, and social identity.