Coalport's miniature "Japanese Grove" cup and saucer achieves an effect that almost suggests the jeweler's or goldsmith's art as much as the ceramist's. The whimsical pattern of sparrows darting among the bamboo stalks is printed in a rich violet blue that takes on a gem like quality against the smooth gilded ground. The impression of precious metalwork is reinforced by the delicacy of the thin fluted walls and branch handle and by the extension of the gilding into the cup's interior.

With miniature pieces there is always the question of the intended audience. Was it a toy for young girls learning the hostess arts through dolls' tea parties? Or was it a toy for an adult connoisseur, a bauble to feature in a lady's cabinet of curios? The rich effect of this piece--as well as its relation to the fashionable Japanese trends of the time--strongly suggest the latter and that tiny fingers tempted to touch might be in for a gentle scolding.