Tea With the Queen

You may not be able to actually drink tea with Marie Antoinette, but you can drink tea like Marie Antoinette thanks to the availability of some of her favorite porcelain designs to this day. Being fond of the lovely blue Cornflower, she had a set called ‘Pearl and Barbeaux’ featuring, as suggested, pearls and cornflowers. It may seem simple, compared to some of more ornate 18th century Sevres porcelains with which you may be familiar; however this service was created in 1781 by which point the philosophies of Rousseau and rising interest in English styles were influencing a simpler aesthetic. 

Not content to admire the Queen's taste from afar? You can acquire your own set from Bernardaud, or maybe just piece by piece as they start at $96 for a small plate and go up to more than $2K for large serving dishes. Want to see the originals for yourself? Me too, and when this pandemic and quarantine are over I look forward to a visit to the Hameau de la Reine to see them in all their original glory. Until then, cheers!