I was delighted to find this one of a kind hybrid in Maine this week--a late 18th century Chinese export porcelain tea cup with bird and gilded wheat sheaf, which, long long ago lost its handle and was riveted with a replacement borrowed from another. Of a kin to antique staple repaired pieces and to vessels mended with metal handles and bases, but it seems examples of porcelain handles wedded to porcelain vessels are especially rare. (Andrew Basemen's fantastic blog Past Imperfect documents an amazing example of one such piece here, attached very similarly to the handle in this one.) I really love the delicate little bird and radiant gold wheat against bright white here to begin with, and then how those two bead-like rivets puncture the interior so delicately, and also how the handle looks a bit like a branch upon which that bird would perch. Quite a sweet and special thing.
2 3/4" t x 2 5/8" in diameter; 3 3/8" across at handle. Some loss to the border around the lip and scalloped line just below it and one rim chip on the back side, as documented.
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