Creative Art Products Romany Cup of Fortune
From Mystic Tea Room
The Romany Cup of Fortune is an art deco set from the 1930s designed and distributed by Creative Art Products -- but the Creative Art Products backstamp only appears on the cup. The saucer was a standard un-ornamented Cavitt-Shaw saucer, with a Cavitt-Shaw backstamp. Both pieces were manufactured by the W. S. George pottery.
No documentation has been found to explain the mis-matched backstamps. but it could be surmised that since no overglaze ornamentation was to be applied to the saucer, the use of a stock Cavitt-Shaw saucer would reduce the cost. However, because the backstamps do not match, it is quite common for the cup and the saucer to become separated at estate and yard sales, and even in antique shops, and collectors often do not understand that the Creative Art Products Romany Cup of Fortune is incomplete without its saucer. This "odd couple" is a pair, however, and was issued as such.
Creative Art Products provided the buyer with a light blue instruction booklet, titled "The Romany Cup of Fortune" by Barbreggo. It is probable that Barbreggo is a pseudonym for a name like Barbara Reggo.
Note also that there is a second, entirely different set with the same Romany Cup of Fortune name. It was manufactured in England by the Wilkinson pottery.
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catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
The Mystic Tea Room
