Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Pattern Cup and Saucer (c.1949)

Susie Cooper — Blue Gentian Cup & Saucer: A Mid-Century Whisper in Bone China

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~01

Introduction

At first glance this cup and saucer speak in a modest but confident accent — a 1940s post-war English modernism that knows how to balance economy and charm. The Blue Gentian set (circa 1949) is a small manifesto: clean bone china, a single bold botanical motif, a soft turquoise ombré interior and a discreet flash of gilding. As a scholar of Susie Cooper’s output, one hears here all her trademarks — clarity of shape, intelligent functionality and an unpretentious modern aesthetic that flirts with Art Deco geometry while remaining entirely British in restraint.

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~02

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~03

Dating and Historical Context — Production Year and Post-War Britain

The set is documented as a 1949 Susie Cooper design — situating it squarely in the late 1940s when Britain was emerging from wartime austerity. In ceramic terms the late 1940s–early 1950s saw designers reclaiming colour, confident motif work, and efficient production methods after material rationing. Susie Cooper, who ran her own studio and collaborated with several manufacturers across decades, translated that climate into tea and coffee wares that felt both modern and commercially practical. The use of bone china — noted for its warm white tone and translucency — signals an intention toward quality despite lingering post-war constraints. Date range (circa 1948–1952) matches known Cooper coffee services and decorative collections held in museum archives.

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~04

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~05

Form and Function — The Shape, Proportions, and Ergonomics

This is a footed coffee cup (pedestal form) rather than a low teacup — a practical choice for coffee or stronger brews, typical of mid-century service sets. Dimensions given (cup Ø 8.5 cm × H 7.0 cm; saucer Ø 14.5 cm × H 1.7 cm) yield a compact, upright silhouette. The gently flared rim, the rounded belly and the tapered pedestal foot create a pleasing vertical cadence: the eye travels from the turquoise interior down through the floral field to the saucer’s soft halo. The handle is small but well-angled; the addition of gilt on the handle’s side is both decorative and a subtle cue to touch — Susie Cooper often balanced utilitarian comfort with a refined graphic note. Overall balance shows a designer who prioritises everyday usability without sacrificing visual sophistication.

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~06

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~07

Pattern & Decoration — The Blue Gentian Motif and Surface Treatment

The signature motif — a stylised blue gentian — is rendered boldly, occupying a generous portion of the cup body and echoed in the saucer’s central medallion. The botanical is not photorealistic but interpretive: clear outlines, simplified petal shading, and graphic leaf veins that read well at a small scale. Technically, the piece appears to combine decal/transfer printing for the detailed floral with hand-applied overglaze touches — particularly the gilt on the handle and perhaps minor brush highlights on petals — a common Cooper-era practice to marry efficient reproduction with artisanal finish. The interior turquoise ombré (a sprayed or airbrushed glaze gradient) is especially noteworthy: it frames the beverage, reflects light, and gives a modern pop of colour that contrasts the white body and the deep blue of the gentian.

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~08

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~09

Materiality, Marks and Collectibility — Bone China, Backstamp, and Rarity

Made in bone china, the set shows the warm, slightly translucent white typical of high-grade English wares. The underside photograph reveals a backstamp including “Bone China England” and a printed signature or designer mark — essential for attribution and dating. In Cooper’s case, she produced patterns under her own name and for partnering factories, so a readable mark substantially raises provenance confidence. Condition, rarity and completeness (original saucer paired to cup, intact gilding, minimal crazing) drive collector value. The Blue Gentian is not the rarest of Cooper patterns, but its clear palette, intact gilt and particularly the intact ombré interior make well-preserved examples especially desirable for mid-century collectors. Museum holdings and auction records from the period show interest in her late-40s coffee services, hence this set sits comfortably as both aesthetic object and collectible.

[Photo Gallery] Photos of the "Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Pattern Cup and Saucer (c.1949)" taken by Warewish at his home in Taiwan, Warewish Collection, June 15, 2007.

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~10

Susie Cooper Blue Gentian Cup and Saucer c.1949~11

Warewish 2025/10/28