Antique Tea Cups and Saucers by Alcock and Mintons

• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Flow Blue - Ceramics decorated in deep cobalt blue and white where the colour change is blurred, giving the effect of blue watercolour applied on top of wet white watercolour. Manufacture using this technique commenced in the Saffordshire area of Britain about 1820 and continued for a 100 years, by potteries such as Wedgwood, Johnson Brothers, Minton, Royal Doulton, and Swansea.
• Willow Pattern - Although several potteries including Minton and Spode claim credit for design of the Willow pattern, the design is generally attributed to Thomas Turner of Caughley Porcelain Works in Shropshire, about 1780.
  
  Whilst borrowing from the Chinese style, it was not a copy of a Chinese pattern.
  
  The blue-and-white chinaware on which it appeared became immensely popular and the design was reproduced with variations by many English and European factories including Royal Worcester, Spode, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds and Swansea.
  
  It was even copied in Asia, where it is still produced, with the wares being exported to Western countries.
  
  The pattern portrays the garden of a rich mandarin whose young daughter elopes with his secretary. The lovers, overtaken on the bridge by her father, are transformed by the gods into birds and flutter beyond his reach. The scene with its willow tree usually covers the central part of a plate, dish, or bowl, with a border of butterflies, a fret, or other motif.
  
  Traditional Willow pattern is in cobalt blue on white, though very occasionally other colours are used, such as purple or brown. The main part of the object contains the trees, houses, bridge, figures, and birds of the story and there is usually a fairly abstract pattern around the extremities.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Aesthetic movement - jewellery 54
• Mintons Ltd. (England), items
  • cups and saucers 51
  • tea sets 47