Chinese Fortune-Telling Teacup
From Mystic Tea Room
 Chinese Fortune-Telling Teacup and saucer set |
 cup interior |
Designed by the suffragette, poet, historian, geographer, and political activist Genevieve B. Wimsatt, the Chinese Fortune-Telling Teacup was patented in 1929, and manufactured by the Canonsburg Pottery.
 Chinese Fortune-Telling Teacup, side view |
 Chinese Fortune-Telling Teacup, cup, side view |
The set is both a symbol cup and saucer, replete with omens and symbols from Chinese folk-magic, such as the five bats of happiness.
 saucer |
 saucer |
It is an astrological cup and saucer because the saucer is outfitted with the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac surrounding a central tai chi symbol.
 saucer backstamp, version A |
 saucer backstamp, version B |
 Instruction booklet. |
It was manufactured in two runs, with differing backstamps in 1931 and 1932.
It came with an extensive and highly informative instruction booklet, and each run had a different colour of paper stock on the booklet cover, the contents being otherwise identical.
DIV-TLR-CTFT
catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
The Mystic Tea Room
