B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge Green Plain

Fairylite Foreign

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B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge

B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge set; it is a copy of the Aynsley mint green Cup of Knowledge

Identifying stickers read only "Made in Japan"; these may come off, leaving the cup and saucer unmarked

B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge set with original box and a copy of the Aynsley instruction booklet

The Plain Green B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge was imported to the United States from Japan by the B. Shackman company as a knock-off or unauthorized copy of one of the Aynsley pottery's Cup of Knowledge sets, specifically the Aynsley mint green Cup of Knowledge in the Doris shape that was made in England.

This Japanese Cup pf Knowledge is a cartomancy cup that is, except for its packaging, virtually identical to the Unmarked and B. Shackman cup sets Made in Japan suring the same era. It was manufactured by the same (as yet unidentified) Japanese pottery that manufactured the Fairylite Foreign Cup of Knowledge Plain Green for export to England, with a copy of the Aynsley instruction booklet; the B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge, which was also accompanied by a copy of the Aynsley instruction booklet; and the Unmarked Green Japanese Cup of Knowledge that came with its own different and unique instruction booklet.

If the characteristic back stickers, box, or instruction booklet are separated from the B. Shackman Cup of Knowledge, it becomes, by default, an example of the Unmarked Green Cup of Knowledge that was made in Japan.

Here's how to tell the B. Shackman set apart from others:

Pieces are not backstamped "Fairylite Foreign" or "Aynsley"; they have only a paper sticker.. If the back stickers, box, orinstruction booklet are lost from the set it becomes, by default, an Unmarked Green Cup of Knowledge

The colour of the B. Shackman, Fairylite, and Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge clay body is slightly greyish, typical of Japanese ware, but unlike British bone china, which is a bright white.

The quality of the transfers of the B. Shackman, Fairylite, and Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge playing cards is muddier than the English originals, with a yellowish tinge inside the cards.

Despite the attempt to closely copy a British tea cup shape, the feet of the B. Shackman, Fairylite and Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge cups are amusingly Japanese, in a classic six-petal scallop shape.

The handle of the B. Shackman, Fairylite and Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge cups are a simple C-shape with an inward curl; the Aynsley cup handle is in the more elaborate Doris pattern.

Although the B. Shackman, Fairylite and Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge sets have metallic gold pin-striping around the cup and saucer rims, the Fairylite has a mustard-yellow pin-line around the center of the saucer. If they were an Aynsley Cup of Knowledge Mint Green|Aynsley Mint Green]] cups, that pin-line would also be gold.

The instruction booklet of the B. Shackman and Fairylite Foreign Cup of Knowledge sets are straight-out copies of the Aynsley Cup of Knowledge instruction booklet of their era. They can be told apart from the original because the B. Shackman instruction booklet reads "Tell Your Fortune in the Tea Leaves" at bottom center of the front cover, the Fairylite Foreign has the words "Fairylite Foreign" printed at upper left on the front cover; and the [Unmarked Made in Japan Cup of Knowledge Plain Green|Unmarked Japanese Green Cup of Knowledge]] has its own unique booklet design.

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catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
The Mystic Tea Room