tea set, English china w/pink lustre decoration, no marks. From the History Information Station: Object: Tea cup and saucer, made of pottery called lustreware, because of the metallic luster of the glaze. History: The lustre of these pieces comes from powdered gold mixed into the glaze, which, when applied over a very light clay body, looks pink and and lustrous. The same glaze applied over a dark clay looks like a deep coppery bronze. Elegant lustreware was less expensive than silver or porcelain, so it popularly (was) known as "poor man's silver." Still, it was not very inexpensive; only the wealthy Californios decorated their tables with shimmering tea cups like this one.