Coffee was brought to England through the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century, at the time coffee was imported from Ceylon.  In the 1860's, distsaster struck and a fungal disease ripped through Ceylon's coffee industry.  In response, the East India Company began to heavily promote tea as an alternative, but by this point coffee had already taken hold in Britain, and whilst tea was still the number one drink, coffee remained very popular, and imports grew from the Caribbean.    
 
Victorian coffee cups would also have been used as chocolate cups.  These three cups and saucers are made from fine bone china and are finished with a hand-painted floral decoration typical of mid-Victorian styles. One of the cups and saucers has a little less painted decoration than the other two, though is identical in form. 
 
Condition is good on all pieces, no chips or cracks.
 
Dimensions: 13.5cm diam saucer