Fogg Acquires Beheaded Queen's Cup, Saucer She Used in Prison

Tucked away in a corner of Fogg's second floor balcony is the museum's newest acquisition, a bouillon cup and saucer reportedly used by Marie Anteinetic while imprisoned by the sanseullotes.

The cup and saucer were donated to the Fogg by Madame Maurice Le Corbeiller, mother of Phillip Le Corbeiller, professor of Physics-and the discoverer of photo elasticity. Madame Le Corbeiller explained she had made the donation in thanks for the welcome accorded her son at the University on his arrival.

There is no way of determining with certainty the authenticity of the report that Marie Antoinette used the cup. However it was given Madame Le Corbeiller by Madame Campen, one of Marie Antoinette's ladies-in-waiting who was with her until the queen's death. Madame Campen later wrote a history of her life, in which she mentioned the queen's using the crockery.