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Not currently on display at the V&A

Cup & Saucer

c. 1850 (made)
Place of origin

This cup and saucer would have been made primarily as an ornament rather than for use. Although agate is a tough and durable material, it is prone to crack when subjected to sudden and significant changes in temperature. Also, when worked to give fine edges or thicknesses, it is easily chipped or cracked when knocked. With this in mind, finely worked agate vessels that survive undamaged are uncommon.
The cup and saucer were made in India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cup
  • Saucer
Materials and techniques
Agate, cut & polished using abrasives, most probably fashioned by turning on a bow-driven lathe
Brief description
Cup and saucer, circular, external fluting, translucent brownish grey agate, India, c. 1850
Physical description
A round cup and saucer fashioned in translucent brownish grey agate with dark brown markings, with a good overall polish.
The cup has straight sides that gradually angle outwards as they rise from the short recessed foot with rim. The interior surface is smooth interiors and the exterior has been carved with vertical fluting.
The saucer stands on a short recessed foot with rim, and has a wide flat base with short straight sides that angle slightly outwards. The upper surface is plain and the outer face of the wall has been carved with vertical fluting.
Dimensions
  • Cup (1587 1882) diameter: 59.6 to 61.5mm
  • Cup (1587 1882) height: 38.6 to 39.1mm
  • Cup (1587 1882) thickness: 1.5 to 2.2mm (Note: Thickness of wall at rim (to middle of channel))
  • Cup (1587 1882) thickness: 2.2 to 2.7mm (Note: Thickness of wall at rim (to top of ridge between channels))
  • Cup (1587 1882) depth: 33.0mm (Note: Internal depth from rim)
  • Cup (1587 1882) diameter: 31.5 to 32.3mm (Note: External diameter of foot)
  • Cup (1587 1882) depth: 2.9mm (Note: Depth of foot recess)
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) diameter: 78.7 to 79.5mm
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) height: 10.3 to 11.7mm
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) thickness: 1.2 to 2.7mm (Note: Thickness of wall at rim (to middle of channel))
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) thickness: 2.0 to 3.5mm (Note: Thickness of wall at rim (to top of ridge between channels))
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) depth: 7.5 to 8.1mm (Note: Internal depth from rim)
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) diameter: 60.0 to 60.6mm (Note: External diameter of foot)
  • Saucer (1587 a 1882) depth: 1.6mm (Note: Depth of foot recess)
Dimensions vary with orientation
Credit line
Wells Bequest
Object history
These objects were made in India in the 19th century and were acquired by Arthur Wells who was a Nottingham solicitor and Clerk of the Peace. He was a keen traveller and was made a Fellow of the Geographical Society. He is considered to be the first private British collector of Chinese jade and his collection of jade and other hardstone objects from South Asia was on exhibition at the South Kensington Museum at the time of his death in 1882. This collection was left to the museum in his will - the Wells Bequest.
Summary
This cup and saucer would have been made primarily as an ornament rather than for use. Although agate is a tough and durable material, it is prone to crack when subjected to sudden and significant changes in temperature. Also, when worked to give fine edges or thicknesses, it is easily chipped or cracked when knocked. With this in mind, finely worked agate vessels that survive undamaged are uncommon.
The cup and saucer were made in India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe.
Collection
Accession number
1587&A-1882

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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