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British pottery firm Burleigh is inviting loyal subjects to ‘raise a cup of tea for our Queen’ to celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday this year.
The Stoke-on-Trent supplier has created a new design inspired by two designs from Burleigh’s archive.
The ‘EIIR’ cypher is taken from a design originally produced for the Coronation in 1953 and the border is from a design called Cameo, introduced in 1951.
Burleigh creative director Steven Moore, who is well known to TV viewers as a long serving expert on BBC series ‘Antiques Roadshow’, explained: “I found an old copper printing plate that we created for the Coronation in 1953, which had Her Majesty’s cypher on it. In the same row was a slightly earlier design with a charming border of stylised swags. The two designs were made for each other: one reminding us of The Queen’s Coronation, the other of her time as Princess Elizabeth.”
The original designs needed to be re-engraved, which was done in-house by Burleigh’s master engraver Christopher Glendinning, the last working engraver in the pottery industry.
Burleigh managing director Sebastian Lazell added: “Burleigh has a long tradition of making royal commemoratives and it’s fascinating to think that the clay used to make these pieces was mixed in the same machines that created the clay for Her Majesty’s Great, Great Grandmother Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee; a unique lineage.”
Printed in regal purple and produced in limited editions of 500 cups and saucers and 1,000 mugs, each commemorative piece has its own certificate (which is individually numbered and signed by the decorator), and is packaged in a specially commissioned gift box.
The cup and saucer will retail for £45 and the mug for £25.
