Searching for the perfect cup o’ joe.
Celebrate the Christmas season with a set — or two — of France’s premier Limoges porcelain decked in holiday colors. The Bernardaud Aux Oiseaux Espresso Cup & Saucer, priced at PHP54,500 for a set of six, shows a colorful flock of birds and butterflies elegantly perched on stylized trees in raised gold.
The East-meets-West design was inspired by the cabinet of curiosities — sometimes called a “chamber of wonders” — filled with objects belonging to natural history, religion, and geology, among many other things. They were famous in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries with scenes reminiscent of old Japanese prints called ukiyo-e — literally meaning “pictures of the floating world” — which likewise flourished during the 17th to the 19th century.
Otherwise, find pleasure drinking a cup of coffee using the Loop Espresso Cup & Saucer priced at PHP54,500 for a set of six. Designed by noted product and furniture designer Christophe Pillet (who wears many other hats), the Loop Espresso Cup & Saucer was meant to be the “perfect espresso cup” as the conical shape of the porcelain cup “allows the rich aroma to be enjoyed to the full” and ensures the espresso retains the right temperature for longer than in a normal cup. Meanwhile, the saucer has a slightly raised surface in the middle of the saucer to be able to hold the cup securely in position. The cup features simple yet elegant decoration: a combination of concentric circles in gold or platinum. Both the Aux Oiseaux and Loop collections are available at all Rustan’s Department Stores nationwide. — Z. B. Chua
