Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14

Worcester Porcelain Deep Plate, Aesop Fable Three Foxes, ca 1780

About the Item

This is a very rare deep plate made by Worcester around 1780. The plate has a basket weave rim and a very charming image of an Aesop fable about three foxes conversing under a large tree, one of them clearly having a flee problem. The image is painted in the style of Jefferyes Hamett O'Neale, who specialised in Aesop fable paintings. I have not been able to find the exact fable behind this image, but it is known that this plate belonged to a large service with many different Aesop fables. I have one more plate of this service, with a fable of the horse and the donkey - please see separate listing. It might be thought that this image was painted by Jefferyes Hamett O'Neale himself, but when looking closer you can see that the quality is not quite the same. However, it is clearly painted in his tradition and possibly by a student. The Worcester Porcelain Company was one of the first potteries in Britain to produce porcelain. Alongside other great potteries such as Derby, Chelsea and Bow, they pioneered a new industry that would grow out to be huge in the following century. This plate is from the first period, which is often called the "Dr Wall" period after its founder. In later years Worcester went through many different ownerships and styles, and ultimately it became the Royal Worcester factory that only finished operation in the early 21st Century. This beautiful plate has been potted in Worcester's famous early porcelain, which is rather warm to the touch as it contained a quantity of soap rock, and has a slightly green hue at the bottom. The underside also has characteristic concentric circles on the surface. The rim has a beautiful blind moulded "basket weave" pattern. The plate is unmarked as was common at the time, but the style and porcelain body clearly indicate that it came from the Worcester factory. Documentation: Several items of this service are shown in "Worcester Porcelain 1751 - 1790 The Zorensky Collection" by Simon Spero and Henry Sandon. Provenance: Sir Jeremy Lever Collection, sold by Bonhams (Lot 89, 7 July 2007) CONDITION REPORT The plate is excellent antique condition without damage, repairs or crazing, but it has minor wear as visible in the pictures. Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal, 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 20.5cm (8") diameter
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 1 in (2.54 cm)Diameter: 8 in (20.32 cm)
  • Style:
    George III (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1780-1789
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1780
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. In perfect antique condition without damage, repairs or crazing, some minimal wear.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: A-WOR66a1stDibs: LU4805138702942

More From This Seller

View All
Worcester Porcelain Deep Plate, Aesop Fable Horse and Donkey, ca 1780
By 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall
Located in London, GB
This is a very rare deep plate made by Worcester around 1780. The plate has a basket weave rim and a very charming image of the Aesop fable of the horse and the donkey in the centre....
Category

Antique 1780s English George III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Worcester Porcelain Plate, Flower Sprays by James Giles, ca 1770
By 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall, James Giles
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful large plate made by Worcester in about 1770 in their First or the "Dr Wall" period. The plate has a pleasing slightly lobed rim, a white ground and beautifully pa...
Category

Antique 1770s English George III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Worcester Small Lobed Dish, Apple Green, Spotted Fruit James Giles, ca 1770
By James Giles, 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful small deep plate made by Worcester in about 1770 in their First or the "Dr Wall" period. It is a small, lobed dish with a deep green ground, elegant tooled gildin...
Category

Antique 1770s English George III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Crown Derby Porcelain Plate, Puce Cherubs by Richard Askew, Georgian ca 1785
By Crown Derby
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful Crown Derby plate made in about 1785. The very charming decoration of a puce putto is by Richard Askew. The Derby Porcelain factory has its roots in the late 174...
Category

Antique 1780s English Georgian Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Coalport John Rose Porcelain Dessert Service, Imari Pattern, ca 1805
By John Rose, Coalport Porcelain
Located in London, GB
This is a rather stunning 25-piece dessert service made by John Rose at Coalport around the year 1805. It consists a centre piece on four feet, two oval dishes, two shell dishes, two...
Category

Antique Early 1800s English George III Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Coalport John Rose Plate, Abundant Flowers, T. Baxter Studio, ca 1805 (2)
By Coalport Porcelain, Thomas Baxter
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning and extremely rare plate made by Coalport around the year 1805, and decorated in the London studio of Thomas Baxter. We have one more of these plates in stock, pl...
Category

Antique Early 1800s English George III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

You May Also Like

18th Century Worcester Blind Earl Porcelain Dish
By James Giles, 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A Worcester Blind Earl porcelain plate made circa 1770 with beautifully enamelled decoration of butterflies and insects among raised leaf and rose...
Category

Antique 1770s English Rococo Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

First Period Worcester Fable Dessert Plate Ex Lever Collection, c1775
By 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
First Period Worcester Fable Dessert Plate Ex Lever Collection, c1775 Additional information: Date : c1760-80 Period : George III Marks : Unmarked Origin : England Colour : Polychro...
Category

Antique 18th Century English George III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Royal Copenhagen Light Saxon Flower Three Deep Plates in Hand Painted Porcelain
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Royal copenhagen light saxon flower. Three deep plates in hand painted porcelain. Model number 493/1614. Early 20th century. In excellent condition. Marked. Second factory quali...
Category

Vintage 1920s Danish Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Viso Porcelain Zodiac Plate Cancer 0301-CA
Located in New York, NY
Discover our new horoscope collection conceived in collaboration with iconic Spanish porcelain maker Sargadelos. Decorative or functional, this horoscope theme capsule of 12 porcelain plates...
Category

2010s Spanish Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Set of 8 Antique Worcester Porcelain Cabinet Plates with Enamel Flowers
By Royal Worcester
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredibly fine set of 8 Worcester porcelain plates. With raised, enameled flowers to the borders on a custard colored ground. Each flower is layered. The bottom layer has ...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Aesthetic Movement Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

B&G, Bing & Grondahl Saxon Flower, Six Deep Plates in Porcelain
Located in Copenhagen, DK
B&G, Bing & Grondahl Saxon flower. Six deep plates decorated with flowers and gold rim. circa 1920s. In perfect condition. Marked. First factory quality. Dimensions: D 24.0 x H...
Category

Vintage 1920s Danish Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Recently Viewed

View All