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ID #SA1003487
FOR SALE
£265
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Pair Children’s Alphabet Animal Mugs C1860
For sale by Shaun King Antiques
for sale €310     $337
£265
Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2013
Browse dealers 350 items
  • About Us
    Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.
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Id #SA1003487
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Pair Children’s Alphabet Animal Mugs C1860

19th century
Description

This unusual PAIR OF.CHILDREN’S ALPHABET ANIMAL MUGS date from circa 1860.

They are decorated with transfer prints - one mug with K and L and the other with S and T.

K is a Kangaroo hopping along and L is a Lion, Loud, Roaring and Strong. S stands for Sheep who oft sleep in a fold and T is a Tiger, savage and bold.

The images of the Lion and the Tiger suggest, perhaps quite rightly, the Potter had never seen either of them face to face.

They are in overall good condition. The K and L Mug has two old, short hairlines.

Height: 3 inches (7.5 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. We ship Worldwide and are happy to quote for Overseas Shipping on request.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated these Victorian Alphabet Nursery Mugs to the Victorian era.

Independent Date Check ID 08024409
Dealer's Item DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-180 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE VICTORIAN ERA:
Sepia transfer prints: Staffordshire nursery pottery from the mid-nineteenth century.
Fine age crazing across the glaze: natural behaviour of Victorian earthenware.
Unmarked flat bases: typical of nineteenth-century children's mugs.
Simple applied loop handles: typical pottery practice of the period.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
7.5cm (2.95")
Width
7cm (2.76")
Depth
7cm (2.76")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1003487
Dealers Notes

We are a family business of three generations going back to the 1920s. Customer satisfaction is what we strive for.

Payment can be made by Bank Transfer or by the PayPal button, either as a member or a guest, using any major credit or debit card.

Please contact for Inland and Overseas Shipping costs unless otherwise stated on the individual item description.

Description
This unusual PAIR OF.CHILDREN’S ALPHABET ANIMAL MUGS date from circa 1860.

They are decorated with transfer prints - one mug with K and L and the other with S and T.

K is a Kangaroo hopping along and L is a Lion, Loud, Roaring and Strong. S stands for Sheep who oft sleep in a fold and T is a Tiger, savage and bold.

“
The images of the Lion and the Tiger suggest, perhaps quite rightly, the Potter had never seen either of them face to face.
Shaun King Antiques
fig 1. A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations.
fig 1. Pair Children’s Alphabet Animal Mugs C1860

They are in overall good condition. The K and L Mug has two old, short hairlines.

Height: 3 inches (7.5 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. We ship Worldwide and are happy to quote for Overseas Shipping on request.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated these Victorian Alphabet Nursery Mugs to the Victorian era.

Independent Date Report ID 08024409
Dealer's Item DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques datingVictorian era
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-180 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the Victorian era:
Sepia transfer prints: Staffordshire nursery pottery from the mid-nineteenth century.
Fine age crazing across the glaze: natural behaviour of Victorian earthenware.
Unmarked flat bases: typical of nineteenth-century children's mugs.
Simple applied loop handles: typical pottery practice of the period.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
7.5cm (2.95")
Width
7cm (2.76")
Depth
7cm (2.76")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1003487
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2013

Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Shaun King Antiques Profile Page

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A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations.
1 / 5
Archive I A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations.

Pair Children’s Alphabet Animal Mugs C1860

Archive II A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations. View II
Archive III A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations. View III
Archive IV A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations. View IV
Archive V A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques
Telephone 01953 453 285 or 07702 043910
Location
Attleborough
Norfolk
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
Items For Sale 350
Items Sold 1,405
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
View Dealer Info
Location: Attleborough , Norfolk, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified
Feb 2013
For Sale
350
Sold
1,405
A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations.
PAIR CHILDREN’S ALPHABET ANIMAL MUGS c1860
Ref: SA1003487
A pair of Victorian ceramic nursery mugs decorated with brown transfer-printed alphabet lettering and animal illustrations.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectMugs
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialEarthenware, Ceramic, Glaze
  • ColourCream and Brown
  • MotifsTransfer-printed lettering, Scrollwork framing, Animal illustration, Loop handle
  • SizeH 7.5 cm (3 in) x W 7 cm (3 in) x D 7 cm (3 in)

This pair of Victorian children's alphabet animal mugs dates from circa 1860. The ceramic vessels are finished with a cream-coloured glaze and brown transfer-printed decoration featuring ornamental scrollwork framing, loop handles, and animal illustrations accompanied by lettering. One mug depicts a kangaroo and a lion with letterforms, while the other shows a sheep and a tiger alongside corresponding alphabet details. Two old, short hairlines are present on the mug displaying the letter K. Each mug measures 7.5 cm high, 7 cm wide, and 7 cm deep. These earthenware pieces suit placement on a bookshelf in an English country house interior, adding character and decorative interest to a study, living room, or child's bedroom collection. They offer a tangible connection to nineteenth-century nursery education and pottery manufacturing traditions. Collectors of antique ceramics can display them together as a pair to highlight the transfer-printed animal motifs and historical script details.

FAQs

Manufactured during the 19th century, nursery mugs were created for children to encourage literacy alongside daily use. These ceramics feature transfer-printed illustrations of animals and letters framed by decorative scrollwork borders.

These items were predominantly crafted from refined earthenware or creamware. The imagery was applied via transfer printing, wherein copper-plate engravings were printed onto tissue paper and pressed onto the unglazed ceramic prior to a final glaze firing.

Authentic period examples often display fine glaze crazing, minor misalignment in the transfer seams, and weight consistent with traditional earthenware. The handle profiles and base footrings reflect hand-finished 19th-century manufacturing methods.

These compact ceramics serve as effective display items on bookshelves, inside glazed corner cabinets, or arranged along deep window sills. Grouping multiple transferware items together creates an organized visual feature in traditional or eclectic spaces.

Earthenware should be cleaned gently by hand using warm water and mild soap. Abrasive sponges, chemical solvents, and submersion in water for extended periods should be avoided to preserve the integrity of the glaze.
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