Vogue (shape)

Cup and Saucer
1930-1931 (designed), 1930-1931 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Shelley Potteries are best known for their delicate, attractive and adventurous bone china tea and coffee wares of the 1920s and 1930s.

This cup and saucer is in the 'Vogue' shape featuring the 'Red Blocks' pattern. It was designed in 1930 by Shelley Art Director, Eric Slater, who studied under Gordon Forsyth, an advocate of improvement in industrial design. Slater's 'Vogue' shape, was very modern and made from finely-turned high quality bone china, the geometric form--conical cups with solid triangular handles--was well-matched with a range of dynamic Art Deco patterns, such as Red Blocks, which has the appealing addition of silver lustre. Despite the novel appearance of Vogue, some customers criticised the wide-mouthed cups for allowing drinks to cool too quickly, and complained that they could not put a finger through the solid handle, nor hang the cup by the handle for storage.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cups
  • Saucer
Titles
  • Vogue (shape) (manufacturer's title)
  • Red Blocks (pattern) (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Bone china, printed in black and painted in enamel colours and lustre
Brief description
Cup and saucer, bone china, 'Vogue' shape, 'Red Blocks' pattern, designed by Eric Slater, manufactured by Shelley Potteries, Fenton, Staffordshire, England, 1930-1
Physical description
Cup and saucer, bone china, geometric shape, black printed, with pattern of overlapping blocks in red and black enamel colours and silver lustre.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Shelley', within a cartouche, 'ENGLAND', and indistinct registered number, printed in green. (Maker's identification; printed)
  • '11786', painted in black (Maker's identification; painted)
Credit line
Given by Kay Rush
Summary
Shelley Potteries are best known for their delicate, attractive and adventurous bone china tea and coffee wares of the 1920s and 1930s.

This cup and saucer is in the 'Vogue' shape featuring the 'Red Blocks' pattern. It was designed in 1930 by Shelley Art Director, Eric Slater, who studied under Gordon Forsyth, an advocate of improvement in industrial design. Slater's 'Vogue' shape, was very modern and made from finely-turned high quality bone china, the geometric form--conical cups with solid triangular handles--was well-matched with a range of dynamic Art Deco patterns, such as Red Blocks, which has the appealing addition of silver lustre. Despite the novel appearance of Vogue, some customers criticised the wide-mouthed cups for allowing drinks to cool too quickly, and complained that they could not put a finger through the solid handle, nor hang the cup by the handle for storage.
Collection
Accession number
C.162:1, 2-2003

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 27, 2003
Record URL
Download as: JSON