For fans of what is arguably Belgium's most famous export, The Bloomsbury Store is currently stocking a wide range of Tintin merchandise including everything from figurines to posters to next year's calendars to these I heart Tintin style mugs.
The porcelain mugs are available for a variety of the well known characters naturally including Tintin but also Snowy, Haddock, Castafoire and the Thompson Twins. You can buy them individually for £7.95 or a set for £31.80.
If you like to take your tea strong and with a dash of colour, these late 60s/early 70s style patterned mugs from Alice Apple may be of interest to you. While the mug on the left has an illustration of several mugs, each with their own striking patterns, the one on the right has more of a folk art feel.
The work of Devon based Alice Burrows, they are just a couple from the selection she has for sale. All the mugs have a similar retro look but, with 'apple' being part of her trading name, it's probably no surprise that the fruit features prominently in some of her other designs.
The mugs cost £9 each from the Cafe Press website
Piero Fornasetti's Tema e Variazioni range has previously been highlighted on plates and on wallpaper but perhaps this is the most surreal application yet. His designs are based around variations on a 19th century image of a woman. Here she appears as a print in the base of each of the handmade glasses. Each glass has a different print, potentially quite unsettling as you finish off your drink!
Like his other products, these glasses don't come cheap. A set of three costs £136.
Buy them from the Couture Lab website
If the thought of tea cosies sends a shiver down your spine, Maxine Sutton's Miracle tea cosy might change your mind. Avoiding twee, it's organic twill hand printed with bright, bold outlines which are reminiscent of the Scandinavian folk art which in turn inspired mid-century textile designs. On an ecological note, your pot of tea will be kept warm by the cosy's wadding which is made from recycled plastic bottles.
While Bombay Duck are calling these vintage tea party milk jugs, they are contemporary designs, the 'vintage' referring to their inspiration only. Their delicate shape and pretty rose bordered rim certainly create an old-fashioned feel. The jugs come in cream, blue and pink and would look perfect sitting next to a similarly pastel coloured selection of cupcakes.
This attractive Focus de Luxe cutlery set dates from 1955 and has been reintroduced by Gense for the twenty-first century. Its distinctive looks are the work of Folke Arström and they were judged to be stylish enough for the New York Times to describe it as one of the 100 best designed products in modern times.
The knife, fork and spoon are made from stainless steel and plastic and a set of 12 pieces costs 109 euros.
