Richard Ginori Tea Cups

The striking elegance and craftsmanship associated with vintage Richard Ginori porcelain and ceramics are hallmarks of the distinguished Italian manufacturer's deep heritage. Over nearly 300 years, the company has established a legacy of enduring design — its exquisite handmade serving pieces, tea sets, tableware, vases and more are coveted all over the world.

Richard Ginori traces its long history back to the village of Doccia, Italy, where marchese Carlo Ginori opened the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory in 1735. The factory employed talented Viennese painters and modelers, and although it took time for Carlo to perfect his models and molds, the company eventually became known for its impeccable white porcelain, inspired by Ginori's love of white gold. By 1779, the factory’s refined porcelain decorated palaces and stately residences.

In 1896, the factory expanded and merged with the Società Ceramic Richard of Milan. The new company was named Richard Ginori, and the early 20th century marked a period of artistic revival for the manufacturer.

In 1923, the influential Italian architect, publisher and furniture designer Gio Ponti was appointed as the company's artistic director (a role he held until 1933). He was still a young man at the time, but the now-celebrated polymath was fearless in his efforts to innovate at Richard Ginori — he introduced a contemporary spirit at the manufacturer and integrated ancient Roman art and other neoclassical elements into his richly ornate designs for decorative objects and ceramic vessels. At the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris — the design fair that brought the Art Deco style into the world — both Richard Ginori and its bold artistic director won a Grand Prix.

In the decades that followed, offerings at the storied porcelain manufacturer showed an adoption of the modern style that had taken shape in furniture design and decorative arts during the mid-20th century. In 1954, the company was renamed Ginori 1735, a reference to its inaugural year. Over time, Richard Ginori has partnered with numerous renowned designers such as Giovanni Gariboldi, Antonio Piva, Franco Albini and Aldo Rossi. In 2013, Gucci purchased the Ginori 1735 brand and factory.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Richard Ginori serveware and decorative objects.

Ready to serve high tea and brunch for your family and friends? Start with the right antique, new or vintage tea set.

Tea is a multicultural, multinational beverage and isn’t confined to any particular lifestyle or age group. It has humble beginnings, and one of its best-known origin stories places the first cups of tea in 2700 B.C. in China, where it was recognized for its medicinal properties. Jump ahead to 17th-century England, when Chinese tea began to arrive at ports in London. During the early 1800s, tea became widely affordable, and the concept of teatime took shape all over England. Today, more than 150 million people reportedly drink tea daily in the United States.

Early tea drinkers enjoyed their beverage in a bowl, and English potters eventually added a handle to the porcelain bowls so that burning your fingers became less of a teatime hazard. With the rise in the popularity of teatime, tea sets, also referred to as tea service, became a hot commodity.

During Queen Victoria’s reign, teakettles and coffeepots were added to tea services that were quite large — indeed, small baked goods were served with your drink back then, and a tea set could include many teacups and saucers, a milk pot and other accessories.

During the early 1920s, a sterling-silver full tea service and tray designed by Tiffany Co. might include a hot-water kettle on a stand, a coffeepot, teapot, a creamer with a small lip spout, a waste bowl and a bowl for sugar, which the British were stirring into tea as early as the 18th century.

But you don’t have to limit your tea set to Victorian or Art Deco styles — shake up teatime with an artful contemporary service. If the bold porcelain cups and saucers by Italian brand Seletti are too unconventional for your otherwise subdued tea circle, find antique services on 1stDibs from Japan, France and other locales as well as vintage mid-century modern tea sets and neoclassical designs.