It was a great week for finding antique transferware children's cups; this is one of two I am listing, both rare and I think just fabulous--this one humorously representing a circulating library, books flying everywhere in a gust of wind. Preceding public libraries, in the 18th and 19th c. circulating libraries were important (for-profilt) social and cultural institutions in Britain and America, providing--for a subscription fee-- the rising middle class access to a broad range of reading material. Often, they were operated out of stores that sold other items such as newspapers and books, as seems to be the case in the one represented, with a "books and pamphlets bought" sign flying through the air along with the books. I'd like to interpret this as a commentary that the demand for reading material was so powerful it was blowing these men away!
2 13/16" t x 2 7/8" in diameter; 3 5/8" across at handle. There is a hairline crack coming down from the lip over the "r" in "circulating". Otherwise very good condition.
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