Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Mug from the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, 1902

Mug, 1902
Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra
The Victoria & Albert Museum

I like this attractive coronation mug. It’s got sort of a fair-grounds, Punch & Judy Fit-Up design which I find appealing for obvious reasons. This souvenir was made for the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and hopefully wasn’t meant to be used since it is glazed in lead-based pigment. This earthenware mug features a tapering cylinder with two handles. It is adorned with applied busts of Edward VII and Queen Alexander surrounded by painted flowers. The unusual color-scheme is a departure from the popular colors of the reign of Queen Victoria, the new King’s mother.
This mug was manufactured in Torquay in 1902 by Royal Aller Vale & Watcombe Pottery Co. and is now part of the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum.