The story of how the RA cups went missing…

When I was younger, I’d go to the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) with my mum, and (typical kid) one of the highlights for me was the cafe.

One year they had THE most gorgeous multicoloured crockery. So gorgeous was it, in fact, that the story goes they eventually had to stop using it because it kept on getting pinched (RA customers purloining plates and cups? Whatever next?!).

I’ve since read that they were specially made for the RA by Philip Sutton and manufactured by Schönwald, Germany, in1985 (that puts me at about 15, which sounds about right).

This cup at Colour File HQ (second from right) is from this collection BUT it was bought from the shop, so thankfully when I pick it up to use it it isn’t red hot…Beautiful, isn’t it?

Anyone else remember this crockery from the RA?

Martha, The Colour File x

Philip Sutton cup and saucer (Picture: Royal Academy of Arts)

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