Theekop met decoratie van trofeeën aan gestrikte linten before 1814

This delicate porcelain teacup, now in the Rijksmuseum, was made by the Koninklijke Porseleinfabriek Dommer & Co. Notice the decoration. It depicts an array of birdcages, draped with ribbons and interspersed with flowers. Made in the Netherlands, these images point to the cultural and economic life of the Dutch elite. In the 18th and 19th centuries, bird keeping became increasingly popular as a pastime and status symbol. Owning exotic birds and elaborate cages became a way for wealthy individuals to display their refined taste, worldliness, and their ability to afford such luxuries. So, next time you sip from a porcelain cup, consider how even the most everyday objects can be read as social documents. Careful historical research into sources such as household inventories or etiquette manuals can tell us a great deal about the values and structures of the society that produced it.