These Pretty, Vintage-Style Teacups Have Insults Written Inside Them
A cup of tea can be many things: a comfort shared with friends, a part of a daily routine, a way to mark time. But rarely is it straight-up insulting. The teacups (and saucers, teapots, and more) at shop Miss Havisham’s Curiosities are an exception. On the outside, they look like pretty, vintage ceramics. On the inside, they hold messages, written in cursive, like, “No one likes you,” and “I hope you choke.”
Miss Havisham’s Curiosities was created by writer Melissa Johnson, who, according to the shop’s website, has worked for The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and more.
In an interview on the blog No Man’s Land, Johnson explained that the idea for the teacups came from her grandmother:
“She wasn’t the happiest lady, she had a bad temper and a mouth like a sailor. One of her many ventures was as an antique dealer. Her specialty was china and glassware. The house was full of mismatched pieces, essentially nothing matched.
“She used to write offensive things on broken or chipped pieces, often in nail polish… She moved from project to project constantly. She also embroidered funny sayings into intricate quilts… Her art projects were her way of expressing her dissatisfaction with the world.”
Later in the interview, Johnson answers a question about what she’s expressing through her own artwork this way:
“Most women are taught to be nice, to be polite, to smile and not make waves. You don’t have to look much farther than the women’s marches to see that most of us were crushed by Trump’s election. I wanted to turn the notion of feminine politeness on its head.”
We’ll drink a cup of tea to that. Find the whole interview on No Man’s Land and Johnson’s shop here.