Pair of wine cups with gold rims

These tiny, eggshell-thin imperial wine cups were designed for the consumption of strong liquor. The white glaze and lack of decoration highlights the gold foot rings and rims. Although we can’t be certain when the gilding was added, it is very possible that they are original and were applied in Beijing by the Zaobanchu (Imperial Office of Works) after the delivery of the cups from the imperial kiln in Jingdezhen (in southern China).