Rare Antique c.1885 English Chinoiserie "Mikado" Miniature Cup & Saucer Set

Details

Description

Step directly into the artistic fervor of late-19th-century British Aestheticism with this museum-quality miniature tea cup and saucer set. Registered … Read more Step directly into the artistic fervor of late-19th-century British Aestheticism with this museum-quality miniature tea cup and saucer set. Registered and manufactured in England in late 1885, this exquisite cabinet set features the iconic, highly collectible "Mikado" motif. The pattern was created to capitalize on the historic cultural craze sparked by the London debut of Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera The Mikado in March 1885, which initiated a nationwide obsession with Chinoiserie and Japonisme design.

The intimate, diminutive surfaces feature intricate transfer-printed and masterfully hand-enamelled vignettes of traditional Eastern figures under parasols, bordered by bold geometric medallion bands and flowing botanical scrolls. Both pieces exhibit the official hand-brushed British Registry Number Rd No 34490, mathematically documenting the design's official patent entry to late 1885. Boasting superb wall and shelf presence despite its petite proportions (saucer measures 4" wide; cup stands 1.25" high), this rare archival set is a premier acquisition for advanced transferware collectors, curio cabinets, or elite historical miniature collections.

Cup Width (including handle): 3 in.

Cup Depth: 2.25 in.

Cup Height: 1.25 in.

Saucer Diameter (Width/Depth): 4 in.

Saucer Height: 0.75 in. See less