Cup c. 1938

These cups were made by Paul Schreckengost, sometime in the 20th century, though the date isn't known. There is something about the simple form and the crisp colour palette that I find really striking. The material is so smooth and solid - the walls of the cup and the handle seem sturdy and self-contained. Notice how the shape of the handle is mirrored on the base of the cup, like an echo? It makes me think of something mechanical - the smooth glaze on the porcelain is almost like a coating, an enamel. But the form itself is elegant and the proportions are pleasing. I can see a little bit of Josef Hoffmann here maybe, especially in the geometry, but these cups are less ornate, more humble. Ultimately it feels like the cup is about itself, about being a cup, a thing for containing things. It's a form that celebrates its function.