This coffee cup is decorated in the Japanese Imari palette with the ‘star’ pattern, which consists of small star-shaped flowers alternating with gilt blue panels.Japanese porcelain in the Imari style had a great impact on European ceramics. Imari porcelain was produced in the area of Arita in present-day Saga prefecture on Kyushu Island. Imari derived its name from the port from where it was shipped. The range of enamels used on Imari wares is fairly wide but generally consists of blue, red and gold. The colours and patterns of Imari wares were reproduced by European porcelain factories, highligting the popularity of Japanese designs with European customers in the 18th century.During the 18th to mid 19th century, a coffee cup would have been sold as part of a tea service. A full tea service by the late 1760s would have comprised at least 40 pieces. Apart from multiple tea and coffee cups with matching saucers, other standard items included a teapot, sugar bowl, milk jug and a slop bowl (into which the dregs from tea and coffee cups were emptied).
