Cup and saucer from -Tea for Two- service c. 1930

This cup and saucer is part of a tea set designed by Eric Slater. This design reflects the aesthetics of the Art Deco movement, which flourished internationally in the 1920s and 30s. Art Deco was a reaction against the handcrafted and often fussy designs of the earlier Art Nouveau movement. It embraced new technologies, industrial production, and a streamlined, geometric style. Here, the stylized sunburst pattern, the bold color contrasts, and the simplified forms all speak to this new aesthetic. The Art Deco style found its way into many aspects of life, from architecture and furniture to fashion and, as we see here, even tea sets. We can see the influence of social change in this design. Art Deco's emphasis on machine production made beautiful design more accessible to a wider range of people. Historians of design might look at trade publications, manufacturers' catalogs, and period advertisements to understand how Art Deco transformed everyday life.