Cup & Saucer Collection

Appraised on: August 13, 2005

Appraised in: Los Angeles, California

Appraised by: David Lackey

Category: Pottery & Porcelain

Episode Info: Los Angeles, Hour 2 (#1008)

Originally Aired: February 27, 2006

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (3:31)

GUEST: They came down through my family. My great-grandmother collected them, I think, around 1890 to 1920 or '30. They seem to have come from different places. And I'm not sure what they're used for, because they're really tiny.

APPRAISER: Okay. Around the turn of the century, cup and saucer collecting was a big craze. And there's still people today that collect single cups and saucers. I selected a few of the ones out of the collection that you brought in to put here on the table. But you've got a lot more than this, right?

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: You said she collected them between the 1880s and probably the 1920s or so. Yeah, she was born 1870, somewhere in there. So I would think 1885 maybe.

APPRAISER: Well, these all fit right within that time range. Sometimes ladies would use them for tea parties. Or maybe they'd serve coffee in them.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: But they were really more for just ornament. These two very tall ones were specifically made for hot chocolate.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: Around the turn of the century, hot chocolate was a big fad, so they had chocolate sets. They had special pots for hot chocolate, and then special tall cups.

GUEST: Oh...

APPRAISER: So these two that are very tall were specifically for chocolate.

GUEST: I wondered why they were bigger.

APPRAISER: Now, these are from all over the world. You've got cups and saucers here from Bavaria and Austria. Got some from England. You've got one from Russia, one from Limoges, France. When people collect these cups and saucers, really the most important thing to them is how pretty they are. Now, some things that would affect the value would also be the manufacturer. But these are fairly typical manufacturers. Now, the ones that are a little bit plain but just sweet flowers, like this one here, those that are near you... Those usually sell for somewhere in the $20 to $50 range. Now, if they have a little bit more decoration, like this one with a little bit darker, richer colors, they're going to be in the higher end of that range. And this one's a little atypical that has the neoclassical figures. So I would think that would be closer to the $50 range. This is by an off-brand company. So it's probably $20 to $30.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: This is by Haviland, which is a more famous company. They look very much the same,

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: but this one's going to be more valuable, probably between $40 and $60. Now, this one here has a really unusual mark, and we were not able to identify who that is. Then you go to the quality and the decorative appeal. This particular cup has wonderful raised, enameled decoration, which was a very expensive process. Then it has this rich solid gold interior. So even though we don't know who made that-- and eventually we could probably figure it out-- I would say that one is probably worth at least $100 to $150.

GUEST: Oh.

APPRAISER: It's a really good one.

GUEST: Just for a little cup?

APPRAISER: For a little cup and saucer. (laughs) Which is a lot of money for a little cup and saucer. Now, this one here is particularly interesting. It was made in Russia by the Kornilov brothers. This is before the revolution. And this particular company sold a lot of things in Tiffany's in New York and possibly other places in the United States. This figural handle, which is the shape of a horse, and the designs are based upon Russian peasant or folk patterns and designs. This cup and saucer would probably sell for between $250 and $350.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: Now, the prize here is this Coalport cup and saucer from England.

GUEST: Really?

APPRAISER: You've got a solid gold interior, which is a sign of being expensive in quality. You've got rich, dark colors and lots of gold. But these blue enamel beads, which were very expensive to produce, are highly prized by collectors. And this particular cup and saucer would retail for between $400 and $600.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: It's the most valuable in there.

GUEST: Just for a cup? I like it.

APPRAISER: The whole collection here, what we're seeing on the table, is worth between $800 and $1,200.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: This is a fun collection and really a great variety to look at today.

GUEST: Yeah. Thank you.