Espresso cups with saucers

Originally from northern Italy and now a global phenomenon, espresso is a special kind of coffee preparation. Hot steam is forced through coffee ground from dark-roasted beans, resulting in a coffee concentrate. In Italy this is mostly served in small, thick-walled cups, but the designs of the receptacles vary – ranging from new creations to the integration of traditional decorative elements of regional ceramics in Europe.
The cup with a red and white pattern of small hearts and a heart-shaped handle was bought in Moscow, but made in China. The white porcelain cup comes with a spoon and is embel- lished with a gold rim, its saucer is protected by a small paper doily. Cup and doily show a red rectangle as a logo and “MK Café” (Mistrzów Kawy Café) in gold lettering. The dark brown, flat and wide cup is white inside. The edge of the saucer, also brown, is rounded. The small, white cup is decorated with a floral pattern
in blue, yellow, brown and red. It shows a small owl, the saucer a peacock.The design goes by the name of “Taika”. The espresso cup and saucer are embellished with a blue edge, a band of blue-green patterns and small groups
of blue blossoms on a white ground. They were made
by the Bolesławiec manufacturer “Zaklady Ceramiczne Bolesławiec”. Lower Silesian Bolesławiec is one of Europe’s most famous cities for pottery, the decoration of this modern cup follows in the tradition of typical local ceramics.