Miniature loving cup, with Rothesay coat of arms

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This porcelain miniature loving cup is decorated with the coat of arms of Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute. It was made for the souvenir market by the Nautilus Porcelain Company at the Possil Pottery in Glasgow and dates from between around 1900 and 1910.

The loving cup follows the form of a tankard or 'tyg' with three handles. The arms feature an heraldic shield containing a castle with a crescent moon and a star above, and a sailing ship below. The castle represents Rothesay Castle. The ship may refer to the one time very successful herring fishing industry in the area. The star and moon may represent night-time when the fishing took place.

Crested china became the most important type of British souvenir between 1900 and 1930. Its invention is credited to William Henry Goss (1833-1906), the owner of the Falcon Works in Stoke-on Trent. The main producer of crested china in Scotland was the Nautilus Porcelain Company, at the Possil Pottery in Glasgow. Run by the china merchants MacDougall & Sons, of 77-79 Buchanan Street, the company produced 'Nautilus' miniatures between around 1900 and 1910. The pottery closed in 1911.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-000-063-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.1994.827
• Date: Between around 1900 and 1910
  
• Material: Porcelain. Inscription: [Rothesay coat of arms (castle, ship, star and moon)]; Royal Burgh of Rothesay; mark: Nautilus [ship] Porcelain 7
  Tyg, miniature / souvenir
  
• Dimensions: 40 mm H x 30 mm D
  
• What: Tyg, miniature / souvenir
  
• Subject:
• Who: Nautilus Porcelain Company, Possil Park, Glasgow (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Bute, Rothesay
  Scotland, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Possil Park
  
• Event:
• Description: Porcelain three-handled tyg with the coat of arms of Rothesay, Bute, made by the Nautilus Porcelain Company, Possil Park, Glasgow
  
• References:
  • Evans, G. Souvenirs From Roman Times to the Present Day. Edinburgh: NMS Publishing Ltd, 1999, pp 52-5. 
  • Porteous, A. The Town Council Seals of Scotland Historical, Legendary and Heraldic. Edinburgh and London: W & A K Johnston, MCMVI, p 261. 
• Translations:
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