Saucer
1876–77
Medium
Bone china
Dimensions
confirmed: 5/8 × 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 in. (1.6 × 14 × 14 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
British, Worcester
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Helene Fortunoff and Robert Grossman, 2017
Accession Number
2018.62.84
Art Historical Context
This delicate saucer, crafted by the renowned Worcester porcelain factory in Britain between 1876 and 1877, exemplifies the height of Victorian-era ceramic artistry. Made from bone china—a translucent, durable porcelain enriched with bone ash for superior strength and whiteness—the piece measures a modest 5/8 × 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 inches, perfect for complementing teacups in elegant afternoon tea services. Worcester, established in 1751, was a pioneer in British porcelain production, rivaling continental makers like Sèvres and Meissen with its innovative techniques and refined designs. Bone china's...
About the Artist
Worcester factory · 1751–2008
The Worcester porcelain factory, established in 1751 in Worcester, England, by physician Dr. John Wall and apothecary William Davis along with 14 partners, marked the birth of one of Britain's most enduring ceramic enterprises. Investing £4,500 at Warmstry House on the River Severn, the founders drew on contacts with the Bristol porcelain manufactory to develop a novel soft-paste porcelain using s...