The Metropolitan Museum of Art Coaster Tin Set Duke of Gloucester Pattern 1780

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Coaster Tin Set This design called the Duke of Gloucester Pattern taken from an English Worcester soup plate made about 1780 Originally I thought the tin holding the coasters and the coasters them selves were faded and missing paint, until I realized that the pattern was uniform and the places where the paint looks worn away is the same on all coasters and tin. I believe this to be factory distressed and possibly part of the design.