White china ribbed feeding cup with red cross, European, 1901-1920

Made from white porcelain this cup was used to feed sick people who could not sit up upright. The one-handled hemispherical design is typical. The handle is placed on the right as the majority of people are right handed. This feeding cup was used by the Red Cross Society, which was founded in 1863 to give aid to those experiencing the effects of war. This example may have been made during the First World War. The distinctive symbol of the Red Cross Society, which is staffed mostly by volunteers, is painted on the side of the cup.