This is a beautiful orphaned teacup made by Flight & Barr around the year 1804. The cup has the characteristic deep peach with gilt vermicelli ground, and a band of lavishly gilded Greek keys in the neo-classical style. This cup originally belonged to a tea service that is for sale in a separate listing (see last picture).
There are three of these available.
Flight & Barr was the continuation of the famous Worcester Porcelain Company. In fact the factory went through various partnerships and names, most of which involved either the name Barr, Flight, or both (or double!). This confusing period in the factory's existence is often called the "Flight & Barr" period. Eventually the factory absorbed some of its spin-offs and was turned into the Royal Worcester, which became very famous in the late 19th and 20th Centuries. During the late 18th and entire 19th Century they were among the leaders of china production, producing exceptionally finely painted and sculpted forms.
This cup has a stunning neo-classical decoration; these were the years of the Grand Tour and people at home developed a taste for classical motifs that were discovered on the Greek and Etruscan treasures that were discovered in (and looted from!) Southern Europe.
The cup is marked with the incised B from the Flight & Barr period (1795-1804), but as some items of the tea service it belonged to are impressed with the crowned BFB mark it dates them all to a time around the year 1804, when the company changed its name and marks.
CONDITION REPORT Each cup is in perfect antique condition without any damage, repairs or crazing and only minimal rubbing. There may be some specks baked into the glaze, as is common for items of this era.
Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account.
There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Etcetera - I try to be as accurate as I can and please feel free to ask questions or request more detailed pictures!
DIMENSIONS 8.4cm (3.25") cup diameter.
Flight & Barr orphaned teacup, peach with gilt Greek keys, ca 1804
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We always aim to have happy customers so if you have an issue with or questions about your item, please contact us and we will do anything we can to resolve the issue with you!
