FINE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART
1 - 21
22
- 42
43
- 63
64
- 84
85
- 89
<< 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 >>
Another very rare Chelsea
fluted Botanical Tea bowl and Saucer, exceptionally well painted with a
specimen of the Cosmea flower, with related leaves painted as before with
two tones of green the small purple flowers with black centres and
characteristically frilled petals, the teabowl with double gilt dentil
rim.
Circa 1755-58.
Diameter of the saucer: 5ins. (12.5cms.)
Mark: Red anchor mark to the underside of both pieces.
Tea wares bearing this very
vividly cheering botanical decoration are very rare and would appear to
come at the end of the red anchor period but are afforded an unusual
elegance, which reminds one of the realism yet to be seen which will
emanate from the London Atelier of James Giles in the next ten years and
which of course will include many former members of the decorating studio
at Chelsea. The fluted shape of these however is early and is usually seen
during the raised anchor period with either Kakiemon style decoration or
coloured or puce carmine decoration depicting figures at conversation
within landscapes, associated with the work of Jefferyes Hammett O’Neale,
or harbour scenes after decoration on Meissen porcelain of the 1740’s.
However there was a tradition of using well tried and tested successful
shapes throughout the period of the factory’s production, for example the
silver shaped dish which is first seen in porcelain during the raised
anchor period and is used right through and into the gold anchor period.
There are a pair of saucers of this same decoration by the same hand which
are illustrated by John C. Austin. ‘Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg’,
pl. 83. These are the only fluted teawares with this type of botanical
decoration that we can find recorded within the literature.
The Cape Gooseberry plant is beautifully observed with its somewhat vining
tendency apparent in the graceful upward way it has been painted crowned
with its Chinese lantern cases.
<< 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 >>