Vintage Paragon Double Warrant Pink Gardenia Tea Cup & Saucer, for Queen Mary

  

This is a rare and wonderful Bone China tea cup and saucer from Paragon of England. The pattern has Pink Tinted Gardenia's on a Black background with gold trim. The cup and saucer have ash spots, common to bone china of the early 1900's, more in the cup than on the saucer. The saucer is 5 1/2 inches in diameter X approx 3/4 inches deep. The cup is 4 inches diameter X 2 1/8 inches tall.

The back stamp used on this cup and saucer was introduced in 1939 and was used until 1949. This set appears to have been used, no damage but I do not think the colors are quite as bright as they should be. Paragon China was first founded in 1903, it was originally named the Star China Company. In 1919, the company grew in popularity and decided to change it's name to'The Paragon China Company'. It was a partnership between Herbert Aynsley and Hugh Irving.

In the beginning, Paragon manufactured tea and breakfast wares before expanding it's market and driving a more diverse range of products to include dinnerware. Many of the designs in collections feature traditional floral patterns.

In 1960 the company was bought by Thomas C Wild & Sons. In 1964 it became a part of Allied English Potteries and in 1972 became part of royal Doulton's Royal Albert line. The trade name Paragon was used thru all the changes until about 1989 / 1991 when all the patterns still being used were incorporated into the Royal Albert line.