Kop met oor met zwartgrijze randversiering en gouden biezen 1883

This is a cup with a handle, made by Louis Regout. Regout lived in the 19th century, and the design of this cup reflects the era’s fascination with luxury. The intricate black and grey border is highlighted by the addition of gold trim, indicative of the rising wealth of the bourgeois. Consider the social rituals around tea and coffee drinking during Regout’s time. It was often a gendered space, where women would gather to reinforce their social bonds and share news. This cup speaks to the performance of class, gender and domesticity. The act of drinking from such a delicate object was part of a broader social theatre, indicative of a certain refinement. Think about the hands that may have held this cup: What were their stories? What secrets and confidences were shared over steaming cups of tea? This simple object holds a wealth of untold histories.