“Standard first, which lies to the westward or leftward, has ‘Reisberg’ (no such place on this distracted globe, but meaning Bevern’s Reichenberg, perhaps), ‘Reisberg,’ ‘Prague,’ ‘Collin.’ Middle standard curves beautifully round its staff, and gives us to read ‘Welham’ (non-extant, too; may mean Welmina or Lobositz), ‘Rosbach’ (very good), ‘Breslau’ (poor Bevern’s, thought a victory in Worcester at this time!). Standard third, which flies to eastward or right hand, has ‘Newmark’ (that is, Neumarkt and the Austrian bread-ovens, December 4th); ‘Lissa’ (not yet Leuthen in English nomenclature); and Breslau again, which means the capture of Breslau city this time, and is a real success, December 7th to 19th; giving as the approximate date, Christmas, 1757, to this hasty mug. A mug got up for a temporary English enthusiasm, and for the accidental instruction of posterity. It is of tolerable china, holds a good pint, ‘to the Protestant hero with all the honours,’ and offers, in little, a curious eyehole into the then England, with its then lights and notions, which is now so deep-hidden from us, under volcanic ashes, French revolutions, and the wrecks of a hundred very decadent years.”
This mug bears the letters “R. H.” on it, the initials of the engraver.
In addition to this portrait of Frederick the Great there were others engraved of George II., George III., Queen Charlotte, the Marquis of Granby, and William Pitt. The full signature of Robert Hancock is often found on garden scenes and Watteau-like subjects.
We illustrate as a headpiece a group of two cream-jugs and a sugar-basin with black Worcester transfer-printed subjects on them.
WORCESTER MUG.
(With subject in Watteau style transfer, printed in black.)
In the collection of Author.
