A 'magnolia blossom' cup is thought to resemble a magnolia blossom in profile. These cups usually have relief decorations of plum blossoms on one side and leafy sprays on the other. Magnolia blossoms has also made a rare apperance. The silver bands prevented chips to the mouth and footrim. Two illegible European signatures are engraved on the silver.Europeans drank tea from Chinese-style cups without handles and from saucers until the late 18th century. It is doubtful whether the delicate silver handle on this cup would have withstood normal use. The addition of silver attachments added value to imported porcelain.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
