Franz Collection Tea Cups These delicate tea cups are part of the Franz Collection's "Dating With Romance" series which won a Special Award of Taiwan Craft Selection in 2000.  They feature amethyst colored glass handles combined with glazed pottery decorated with tiny butterflies. Francis Chen, founder and president of Franz Collection Inc., is recognized worldwide as a successful artist and entrepreneur. Following his vision to revive the Chinese porcelain art, Chen - who majored in German Literature while attending university and was given the German name "Franz" by his professor - adopted his college nickname and created his own collection of fine porcelain tabletop and decorative accents. Inspired by the love for nature, Franz Porcelain developed delicate butterflies, fragile flowers, whimsical animals, and other motifs that successfully and uniquely combine traditional Chinese character with classic Art Nouveau designs. Every piece of Franz Porcelain blends the essence of Oriental culture with the styling inspired by Western artistry.