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Chocolate cup

Porcelain, with painted oriental style flowers in polychrome enamel

Made at the Meissen factory, about 1725

Two handled cup with floral decoration on a saucer

On a cold wintery day lots of people like to warm up with a mug of hot chocolate. Three centuries ago you might have drank chocolate from a cup like this one. These cups were designed for drinking hot chocolate and usually have two handles and a saucer.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe around the early 16th century, at about the same time as tea and coffee. Hot drinks were a new idea and ceramic manufacturers gradually began to develop a type vessel for each drink. Chocolate cups tended to be taller and straighter than tea or coffee cups and they often have two handles, a lid and a stand.

This cup was a gift to the Decorative Art department at National Museums Liverpool from Joseph Mayer in 1867.

Accession number M1605

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