Probably the most aesthetically satisfying part of the Mackay service, these cups were almost certainly designed by Tiffany's great director of design Edward C. Moore. Moore was a collector of near-Eastern and Japanese art, and the influence of the former can be clearly seen in these cups.<br /><br />

Designed for John William Mackay and his wife, Mary Hungerford Mackay, the cups were part of a colossal service commissioned from Tiffany in the 1880s. These pieces appear in Tiffany's ledgers as "Coffee Cups & Saucers Enamelled"; the cost to manufacture one cup and saucer is listed as "109.90 less 10%" or $98.90. They've gone up.