cocoa set

by Shawneen Kelly
(Murfreesboro, TN)

This has been in my family since I presume it was new. It was a gift for either my great or my great great grandmother. The story I grew up hearing was that it was special ordered from China, rode by boat around the horn of Africa, to New York, where it traveled by train partially across the country, then by horse drawn carriage the rest of the way to Los Angeles, Ca where my family is from. If nothing else it is a beautiful set.

Originally there were 6 cup but only 3 have survived. They are a very fine, light weight, dainty material. They are very thin. When held up to light you can see light through them. These are not thick heavy pieces. This was a cocoa set my great grandmother enjoyed using, apparently back then cocoa was not a sweet treat but a bitter chocolate drink much like coffee so the servings were very small.

I am hoping to find out if indeed this is of Chinese origin, and about how old it is. I think since it is so beautiful if there were a museum that would like the set for display I would like to let others see it, but I am not sure if it is museum quality.

My set contains 3 cups, 6 saucers and one pot with lid
All pieces have identical marks, painted on. The cup mark has a gold boarder around with gold lettering and red back ground rather then the red mark on white, but it is also painted on and glazed over. The glaze is in very good condition not really cracked but I know this is more then 80 years old since it has been in my family longer then that. All have the same scene but different sides have different parts of the scene, so I have multiple pictures to see the whole picture.
Shawneen

cocoa set 2

by Shawneen Kelly
(Murfreesboro, TN)

More pictures of the set

cocoa set 3

by Shawneen Kelly
(Murfreesboro, TN)

The marks, all are painted on, even the cup's mark it is not a sticker