Sources of Tea Cups

Tea Cups & Saucers


Since it's not so easy to find fancy tea cups and saucers nowadays, when mugs are so prominent, I'll offer a few suggestions here. The ease of finding them depends on whether you want complete sets (of 4 or 6 or more) or will settle for single ones you mix and match.


Check out:

• Stores that sell china


• Second hand stores


• Antique and collectibles shops


• Auctions and estate sales

Also look here for:

Portmeirion Botanic Garden Tea Cup & Saucer; set of 6

Soul Mates Cup & Saucer

Camouflage Cup & Saucer - Butterfly Design

Demitasse Cups & Saucers; set of 6

Tea Glass Set of 2

Do you have a favorite tea cup and saucer?

Tea Cups & Saucers

Cups and Saucers

"What's a saucer?" a youngster asked me. "Is that a flying saucer?"

Nowadays, most children don't know what saucers for cups are. Most people drink their hot beverages from mugs, whereas we ALWAYS used saucers for tea and coffee cups when I was growing up.

The coffee cups were larger than the tea cups and not so dainty. However, they usually came with saucers. My dad used the saucer for cooling his coffee and tea, pouring some of the hot liquid into the saucer, blowing on it, then taking sips from it. (Mother objected to his doing this when we had guests!)

Mugs for Beverages

Then mugs gradually came into being. When these larger cups (generally coffee cup size) without saucers appeared, my mother thought they were "uncivilized."

She gradually changed her mind and began using decorative mugs herself. Mother kept the tea cups and saucers for serving tea to guests.

Do you use cups and saucers or mainly mugs?

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen