Intricate, colorful, minute paintings on this thinly hand potted teacup and saucer. The tiny paintings are expertly done. You can even see the wing feathers and the eyes on the birds.Thinly hand-thrown and hand painted Chinese porcelains that show a high degree of perfection. When held to a light, they are translucent. The saucer and teacup have matching foliate rims and are covered in a nice thick white glaze that is smooth, shiny, and has a slight bluish cast. The glaze is not a brilliant white. The decoration on the central panel of the saucer is of flowers, fruit and a butterfly. The cup and saucer have matching bands of roses, and magnolia blossoms interspersed with lozenge panels of birds in foliage. There is a repeating flower ring under this band. The cup has a large painting on the outside of roses, Buddha hand fruit and butterflies. There is the monogram letter A in gold on the front of the cup.The porcelains were fired and then painted in rose, green, iron red, yellow, white, and blue over glaze enamels. Gold was used as a background color and for the rings. Black was used to accent and outline. Both the cup and saucer have shallow, unglazed foot rings. There are no other marks or labels, other than the monogrammed letter A.Note: Please not that we have a matching set to this set available on Ruby Lane. Please search for a€?medallion teacupa€ in our shop if youa€?re interested in a pair.MEASUREMENTS Cup measures 4 5/8a€ (11/7 cm) diameter. 5 ??a€ (14.6 cm) wide (including handle) x 2 3/8a€ (6.0 cm) tall. Saucer measures 6a€ (15.2 cm) diameter x 1 1/8a€ (2.9 cm) tall. Total weight 14.8 oz (415 g)CONDITION The two pieces have no cracks, chips, or breaks. There is what looks like a small rim chip on the saucer but it feels rounded and may be a glaze imperfection. They both ring true. The saucer has slight wear to the central medallion. It has lost the gilding where another monogrammed a€?Aa€ was. You can barely make out the A with a circle around it. There is gilding loss at the rim of both pieces. Otherwise the two pieces look fresh and bright.These two matching pieces are a tour de force of the paintera€?s and pottera€?s skill. I cana€?t even imagine the time and effort it took to make this pair. Whoever made these must have practiced for many years as the perfection and precision is amazing.Item ID: Por-1834