A rare Liverpool (William Reid) coffee cup, circa 1756-58A rare Liverpool (William Reid) coffee cup, circa 1756-58Of bell shape, the scrolled handle with a pointed thumbrest, painted with a naturalistic goldfinch perched on a leafy branch, the reverse with a brightly coloured bird in flight, a border of delicate puce scrollwork below the interior rim, 6cm highProvenanceMarianne Laird Collection, Bonhams, 7 December 2005, lot 139Crane Collection, Bonhams, 31 March 2010, lot 151Sylvia and Alan Low CollectionIllustrated by Hillis and Jellicoe, The Liverpool Porcelain of William Reid (2000), p.8, no.3. A handle of the same distinctive shape was found on the William Reid site at Brownlow Hill. Hillis also illustrates the reverse of this cup in Liverpool Porcelain (2011), p.44, fig.3.61. This very rare decoration is probably inspired by Worcester of similar date, especially the so-called 'I Rogers' type of bird painting.