H97.101.9

c.1860-1900
2.5 in|1 in HIGH x 4 in WIDE x 3.5 in DEEP
(6.35 cm|2.54 cm HIGH x 10.16 cm WIDE x 8.89 cm DEEP)
Gift of Mrs. Della Hardmon Guess, Della's Tea Cup Cafe
H97.101.9

7;7, 2B

The cups and saucers in this collection come from Della's Tea Cup Cafe, 7309 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, which was established in February, 1967. The cafe is noted for, and decorated with, a very large collection of tea cups. Some of the cups were purchased by the owner, others were presented to her as gifts, while still others were made for her. A: cup is of molded white porcelain, having a richly scalloped lip and raised scrolls and foliage motifs along the outside of the lip; the cup itself is shaped into many segments rather than having a smooth, rounded exterior. The single handle is finely wrought, with the outer side extending upwards approximately 1/4 inch; metallic gold decoration has been added to the outer and lower sides of the handle. Metallic gold also decorates the lip of the cup, extending into the interior approximately 3/4 inch, the raised foliage and scrolls, as well as appearing in vertical stripes between the segments of the cup; the foot is also metallic gold. Directly opposite the handle is a handpainted decoration in yellow, red, and blue, depicting two upright lions on either side of a royal insignia of two crests beneath a jeweled crown; the crest on the proper right is red with a bird (phoenix?) and stripes, and that on the proper left is blue with a lion and stars. The base is marked in black: "7" B: saucer is of the same material as the cup, with a scalloped edge with similar raised scrolls and foliage motifs. The saucer is also segmented. Metallic gold stripes dileneate these segments as in the cup, with an additional circular stripe, approximately two inches in diameter, around the center; the raised foliage and scrolls are also in gold. The center decoration is a handpainted monogram in yellow and gold of the initials "ES." The base is marked with a black "7" and an adhesive label with a ballpoint number: "2B." About this piece, the donor said, "It's fancy. As much as I know about these cups, I can't detail everything. Some of the cups that I purchased, alot is for their beauty. Now, I think this cup is really outstanding, this gold;... Let me tell you about gold. Gold is kind of gold. When you buy a cup and its supposed to be gold, it's kind of dullish. When they make gold now its kind of bright; when you go buy one now, you can make a comparison with [another cup decorated] with real gold."

Used: Della's Tea Cup Cafe | Della Hardmon Guess | African American | Drinking | Lynn Neighborhood

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