Cup and saucer age and origin ideas please? I'm stumped!

A recent purchase, these aren't bone china but heavier and thicker... perhaps ironstone? They're hand painted and the paint APPEARS to be underneath the glaze but don't take my word on that.

All I have to go on is a hand-painted initial / figure (an E or a pair of squares?) and the numbers which appear to be 134 on the back of just one of the saucers and a tiny mark on the base of both cups which resembles the sort of flower shape made of 4 dots you might doodle when bored!

You'll note that the "saucers" have no indentation in the centre. I'm told that this was common with older tea ware - and the cup handles certainly fit the category of older wares - but I'm not sure if this is true or not.

If anyone has any ideas about this pair of cups and saucers I'd be very pleased to hear them. Thank you.

 

How pretty!!! I think not ironstone, however. And if it weren't for the thickness, they look French. But wait til the experts weigh in. Aren't those handles cute - unusable, perhaps, but cute!.

 

Thank you Silverthwait. They're not bone china as I know it... heavier than, say, the equivalent Royal Albert/Paragon/Shelley/Colclough or similar sized saucer for sure.

Any idea what they might be if not ironstone? I'm really stumped on these!

 

Perhaps the same sort of thing which is Johnson Brothers "Rose Chintz." I ought to know what makes it different from bone china, but...my brain is not responding this morning. Cluttered Closet will probably know!

 

Ah, yes! I've got some 'Rose Chintz' and these cups and saucers are very similar in weight and apparent density to it. I'll go and have a look at the backstamps and see if it can give me some clues. Thank you!

 

Almost positive I've seen this mark before... can't quite place it. Believe it was on a piece that I had. If I still have it, it will surely jog my memory.

 

I have searched through pictures of some of my pieces I have had with no luck. Thinking now perhaps I was thinking of a Japan mark which would be of no use to you.

 

Well thank you for looking.