Antique Chocolate Pot Appraisal

Porcelain Hand-Painted Chocolate Pot Set with Six Demitasse Cups

This exquisite set comprises a porcelain chocolate pot and six matching demitasse cups, all adorned with a hand-painted scenic landscape decoration. The primary color palette features soft lavenders, blues, greens, and pinks, transitioning into a calming sky over a body of water, flanked by dark green trees and lighter green foreground elements, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The porcelain itself appears to be white, providing a clean canvas for the artwork. Both the pot and the cups feature delicate gold accents on their handles and rims, indicating a level of refinement and attention to detail. The chocolate pot is tall and slender with a distinct pouring spout, a gracefully curved handle, and a fitted lid, suggesting its traditional use for serving hot chocolate. The demitasse cups are small, handle-less or with very small single handles, characteristic for serving strong coffee or espresso, though in this context, they would likely be used for enjoying hot chocolate. The overall design suggests an Art Nouveau or early 20th-century aesthetic, likely between 1890 and 1920, a period known for its elaborate hand-painted porcelain wares. While no specific maker's marks or signatures are visible in the provided image, the consistent artistic style across all pieces strongly suggests they are part of a unified set. The condition appears to be relatively good, with no obvious chips, cracks, or significant paint loss discernible from the image, although minor wear to the gold gilding, consistent with age and handling, would not be unexpected. The craftsmanship indicates a factory-produced blank piece, meticulously hand-decorated, showcasing skilled brushwork and artistic composition, which would have been highly valued during its creation period.