Sugar basin

Object Type
The bowl is from a tea and coffee service for six people. It would probably have contained small lumps of refined white sugar, which would have been served with sugar tongs. Britain's sugar came from sugar cane plantations in the West Indies. In 1784 a French visitor to Britain noted that 'Sugar, even unrefined sugar ... is necessary [for tea] and very dear'. Sugar was also widely taken with coffee, as it counteracted the bitter taste.

Design & Designing
The service is similar to one offered at auction in London in 1770. This was described as 'a very curious and matchless tea and coffee equipage, crimson and gold, most inimitably enamell'd in figures, from the designs of Watteau'. Although the figure subjects here are not directly copied from the work of the French Rococo painter Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721), they are certainly inspired by his work.

Materials & Making
The Chelsea porcelain factory introduced the crimson ground around 1760, when a London auction of Chelsea porcelain included 'a few pieces of some new Colours which have been found this year by Mr [Nicholas] Sprimont, the Proprietor, at a very large Expence, incredible Labour, and close Application'.