Cup and Saucer (gobelet litron), 2nd size

This cup and saucer commemorate the birth of the dauphin (French for “dolphin”), the first son of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, on October 22, 1781. The heir to the throne – the king’s eldest son – was traditionally known as the dauphin since he was, from birth, the titular head of Dauphiné, a province in southeastern France. Dolphins adorn the inside of the saucer, and the decoration on the cup includes a gilded dolphin at the front, a crown at each side, and a dolphin-shaped handle, which was introduced at Sèvres to mark the occasion.