F.J.J. Milgrove | Glorious Antique | Cup & Saucer | Handpainted Imari style c. 1914, Earthenware

There's wonderful mystery surrounding these painstakingly handpainted cups; No one quite knows who F.J.J was... What is known, is that this pattern (and identical registration number) was used around 1920 by Wood & Sons but called it Millwood, not Milgrove. Yet the pattern was registered in 1914, and the L on the back of the cups stands for Longton in Staffordshire.The most likely scenario is then that F.J.J, whomever he was, went out of business, somewhere between 1914 and 1920, and that Wood & Sons bought the pattern. The cup itself is in lovely condition; not a notch or a blemish in sight in over 100 years - a credit to its quality (which is more than can be said for some mid-century ceramic producers...not mentioning any names...)