A German fayence blue and white fuddling cup, circa 1690, composed of three baluster cups, interconnected and pierced to form a single vessel, the handles interlaced together, each cup decorated in blue and white with chinoiserie style decoration, the necks and handles with scrolls, possibly Frankfurt, height 10cm. Provenance: Private London Collection Notes: This was one of the more common 'joke' drinking pots of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was known as a 'fuddling cup', meaning that it would confuse or stupefy the user, even though the three interlinked cups would hardly contain enough ale to induce drunkenness.