Minton Porcelain Dessert Service, Named Birds by Joseph Smith, Victorian 1851

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Minton Porcelain Dessert Service, Named Birds by Joseph Smith, Victorian 1851

About the Item

This is a stunning porcelain dessert service made by Minton in 1851, which was the Victorian era. It has hand painted named birds by the famous painter Joseph Smith, and a beautiful reticulated border called the "Devon" shape. The service consists of 7 plates and 4 low footed comports. Minton was one of the pioneers of English china production alongside other great potters such as Spode, Davenport, Ridgway, Coalport and others. They were located in Staffordshire and were known specifically for their wonderfully Fine white bone china, parian china and bright colours; there is a colour called "Minton Blue" which is a fresh azure blue that Minton excelled in. Minton produced the finest British porcelain, often thanks to the fact that they sourced some of their best artists and scientists from the French Sèvres factory. Minton supplied huge quantities of tablewares, tiles, and other items to the USA in the 19th Century; the White House was traditionally supplied with Minton crockery and many great buildings of this era were tiled with Minton tiles. These plates are potted in the famous "Devon" shape with a reticulated border picked off in gilt and blue. Each plate has a named bird, hand painted in beautiful detail by the famous painter Joseph Smith, who worked for Minton from 1834 into the early 1850s. On the reverse of each plate is the name of the bird, in beautiful puce longhand. Most plates have a faint mark for the year 1851, although this pattern was recorded in the pattern books on 25 October 1843. This service is still in fabulous condition - there are some minor faults (see below) but it makes a stunning display and could still be used if desired. Condition report: All items are in good condition with a few minor flaws: Two plates have a tight crack in the rim, mostly visible from the reverse and hardly visible from the front; one of the footed comports has a slight crack in the foot, which looks like it is from production and is invisible when in position; one comport has more wear and the blue detail of the rim has faded into grey; some of the plates and comports have some wear, which is clearly visible in the pictures (please study carefully). There is no discolouration of the porcelain and all items look stunning and fresh. This is a complete list of all items, their names and condition: plate The Green Woodpecker - hairline in rim, only visible on reverse plate The Turtle Dove - slight crazing, short line off rim mostly visible on reverse plate The Bullfinch plate The Spur-Winged Goose plate The Redbreast plate The Wheatear plate The Goldfinch low comport The Grey Wagtail - short crack in foot, not very visible low comport The Great Tit low comport The Goldfinch low comport The Bee-Eater - blue decorations on rim have gone grey, bit more wear than other items. Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account. There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Etcetera - I try to be as accurate as I can and please feel free to ask questions or request more detailed pictures! Dimensions: (diameters): all items 23.5cm (9 1/4") diameter, comport 6cm (2 3/8") high.

Creator:
Minton (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 2.3 in (5.85 cm)Diameter: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 11
Style:
Victorian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Porcelain,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1850-1859
Date of Manufacture:
1851
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Some wear throughout, a few hairline cracks on rims, no structural damage or chips.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: A-MIN161stDibs: LU4805115285171