Chocolate cup and saucer - So-called trembleuse

Ceramics and Glass Collection

Accession Nr.: 56.376.1-2
Manufacturer: Meissen porcelain factory
Date of production:
ca. 1740
Inscription: alján máz alatt kékkel kardjegy
Materials: porcelain
Techniques: gilded
Dimensions:
height: 7,3 cm
opening diameter: 7,4 cm
base diameter: 3,7 cm
height: 4,2 cm
diameter: 14,1 cm
diameter: 7,3 cm

The double-handled or handleless small cups, called trembleuse, have been used to drink hot chocolate or coffee. They are tall, higher than they are wide, and could be unstable. For this reason, their saucers or trays have projecting rings or pierced baskets into which the cups fit. So it was possible to prevent spillage caused by a shaky hand. (Tasse trembleuse means ’trembling cup’ in French.) They could be part of a breakfast set their less common English name is ‘breakfast cup’.