What does this mean on my tea cups (age/value)?

Question

I collect china - antique, vintage, just about anything eye catching. I can't afford to buy expensive items, though, so mostly I look at flea markets, antiques fairs etc for something that I can swing.

I recently bought a pair of matching tea cups and I was wondering if anyone would have any useful information to date them. At the bottom it says:

Paragon
By Appointment To
H.M. The Queen & H.M. Queen Mary
Fine Bone China
England Regd.


I know that H.M. stands for Her Majesty, but I have no idea about anything else in relation to these cups. They're beautiful little cups, fairly small by today's standards. I would love any help in giving an approximate date or any other information you might have.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Your cups must date from 1937 to 1952. "The Queen" would be George VI's Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother. H.M. Queen Mary died in March 1953, and before 1936 she herself was the "The Queen".

They are most unlikely to have been made during the war. After it, quality articles like this were exported, but were not available on the home market until some prosperity returned about 1950.

Answer 2

The first answer is incorrect. The "queen" in question was not Elizabeth II -- it was Queen Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II's mother -- who was the wife of George VI).

These cups were probably made in the late 1930s -- early 50s, as the designation was to the appointment to the queen, AND queen Mary.

Queen Elizabeth gave her warrent in 1938. The cups are collectable, but not valuable. You didn't mention if you also have the saucers. If you have them the set could probably expect to fetch maybe $50.

Answer 3

Once a company does any type of work for the royal family, they are free to advertise that fact. As a result, you will see tons of things - from china to silver to crystal and so on marked with things like "Silvermakers to the Queen" etc. Paragon China is a company that makes china and at one time or another received a commission for the Queen and therefore they are proudly stating that on their products. The company is still in business today, and since the only "Queen" since Mary was Elizabeth II, figure your teacups date from 1953 when she became Queen until now. It's perfectly customary for companies to mark products that way in England. Enjoy your teacups. If they are small, they are probably demitasse cups. Pax - C

Answer 4

The queen references give a clue to the age.
They would have been made some time between 1936 and the date of queen mary's death which I think was sometime in the 1950s.

Answer 5

Paragon Bone China Marks

Answer 6

paragon china was around from 1919-1960 when it became part of royal daulton. they received royal warrants from the duchess of york, queen mary, queen elizabeth and queen elizabeth ii. if the pattern you have was actually one of the commemoratives it is probably quite collectable but not worth a lot price wise. a nice little find to leave your grandkids though. i use ebay to try to determine a market value for most of my vintage finds.