A Set of Ten Tea Leaf Pattern Ironstone Cups

A set of ten earthenware cups featuring a classic Tea Leaf pattern. Each cup is constructed with a rounded, slightly tapered body and a flared rim, supported by a low, raised foot ring. The exterior of each vessel is decorated with a single, brown transfer-printed floral sprig resembling a trifoliate leaf, a design characteristic commonly associated with 19th-century English ironstone. A single, hand-painted brown band encircles the interior of the rim. The handles are small, circular loops attached to the side of the body. The glaze is clear, revealing the off-white ceramic body beneath. On the base of one cup, there is a small, hand-painted mark in reddish-pink that reads 12, alongside a small, dark, curved mark that is not legible as a character (image 9). Another cup base displays a dark mark that appears to be the number 4. No manufacturer name is present on the pieces.Diameter: 3.5 inches at the rimHeight: 3 inches.