Victorian Meissen Cup and Saucer in 'Rich Onion' Pattern

• Victorian Period - The Victorian period of furniture and decorative arts design covers the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There was not one dominant style of furniture in the Victorian period. Designers used and modified many historical styles such as Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical and others, although use of some styles, such as English Rococo and Gothic tended to dominate the furniture manufacture of the period.
  
  The Victorian period was preceded by the Regency and William IV periods, and followed by the Edwardian period, named for Edward VII (1841 – 1910) who was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India for the brief period from 1901 until his death in 1910.
• Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
• Onion Pattern - The onion pattern is a popular design motif used in the decoration of porcelain, especially in European and Chinese porcelain. It typically consists of a central motif, such as a flower or bird, surrounded by concentric circles of leaves, flowers, and other decorative elements. The onion pattern originated in China during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and was later adapted by European porcelain makers in the 18th century, by companies such as Meissen, Royal Copenhagen and Hutschenreuther, and in England by manufacturers such as Royal Wedgwood, Crown Derby and Spode. The name "onion pattern" is thought to have originated from the shape of the central motif, which resembles an onion or a pomegranate. The pattern is often executed in underglaze blue, but it can also be found in other colours such as red, green, and gold.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Meissen (Germany) - cups & saucers/trios 103
• Meissen porcelain - Onion / Blue Onion pattern 35