English Botanical Coalport Cobalt Blue Dessert Service by Stephen Lawrence

This beautiful plate was made by Coalport in about 1840 and would have belonged to large dessert service with the pattern 4/412, which we know has been done in many different colours...

This beautiful plate was made by Coalport in about 1840 and would have belonged to large dessert service with the pattern 4/412, which we know has been done in many different colours...

Magnificent Coalport 'Famille Rose' Inspired Dessert Service English, Late Regency/William IV Period, Circa 1820-1835 This superb forty-one-piece dessert service is a testament to the artistic and technical achievements of the celebrated John Rose Coalport factory, one of England's premier porcelain manufacturers. Representing the pinnacle of the opulent and eclectic taste that defined the late Regency era, the service is distinguished by its fine feldspathic porcelain body, its elegant and varied shapes, and its brilliantly colored, intricate decoration. Description and Design The design is a masterful blend of influences, centered around a vibrant floral pattern inspired by Chinese Export famille rose porcelain. Each piece features a swirling composition of pink and yellow flowers, accented by a distinctive and fashionable aqua blue. This central motif is framed by a wide, complex border on a beautifully crimped rim. The border alternates between two luxurious patterns: one panel features a rich mazarine blue ground with reverse flower-heads overlaid with a fine gilt "cracked ice" pattern—a classic Chinoiserie motif. The other panel consists of an intricate diaper pattern on a vibrant yellow ground, punctuated by further floral sprays. The lavish use of gold throughout unifies the design and would have created a dazzling effect in the candlelight of a formal 19th-century dining room. Historical Background & Context 🧐 The Dessert Course as Theater: In the grand homes of Regency England, the dessert course was the culinary and decorative climax of the meal. It was an opportunity for the host to display their wealth and sophisticated taste, and a large, highly decorated porcelain service like this was the ultimate status symbol. John Rose's Coalport Factory: By the 1820s, the Coalport factory in Shropshire, under the ambitious leadership of John Rose, was a dominant force in the British porcelain industry, competing directly with Spode and Worcester. Coalport was renowned for its technically superb porcelain and its often flamboyant, richly gilded Rococo Revival designs. This service, with its confident blend of Chinese-inspired motifs and exuberant English styling, is a hallmark of the factory's finest work from this period. Attribution: While the service is unmarked, which was common for dessert wares of the period, the pattern is confidently attributed to John Rose's Coalport factory. The attribution is based on an identical marked tea service and is confirmed by references in Geoffrey Godden's definitive Encyclopedia of British Porcelain Manufacturers. Components and Condition The service comprises a remarkable forty-one pieces: One Tazza (Centerpiece) Two Sauce Tureens, Covers, and Stands Four Oval Dishes Four Shell-Shaped Dishes Five Rectangular Dishes...

Comprising 12 dessert plates, four low tazzas and two high tazzas, painted with mythological armorous scenes by Kreyser, with a richly gilt cobalt blue border, with beehive mark. Me...

Comprising pair of sauce tureens on stands, pair of shell dishes, 4 oval dishes, 4 rectangular dishes, 18 plates. Inscribed in gilt with botanical i...

Comprising a tazza (height 6.75", diameter 9.25"), two smaller tazza; a sauce tureen and cover; twelve plates; and one smaller plate.

This is a stunning and extremely rare dessert service made by John Rose at Coalport probably around the year 1800, shortly after Rose bought up the Caughley factory. It consists of a large centre piece comport, one sauce tureen with cover, two oval dishes, two square dishes, two shell dishes, and eight plates. The service is beautifully decorated in the Neoclassical style. Coalport was one of the leading potters in 19th and 20th Century Staffordshire. They worked alongside other great potters such as Spode, Davenport and Minton, and came out with many innovative designs. When we say "Coalport" we usually think of the one Coalport factory that became famous, but in its beginning years there were two factories, one run by John Rose and the other by his brother Thomas Rose. Thomas Rose went into partnership with Robert Anstice and Robert Horton and they were located directly opposite John Rose, across the canal. John Rose had bought up the local Caughley factory in 1799. The brothers' factories had much in common with each other and they shared many different shapes and patterns. Ultimately, the John Rose factory proved more profitable and John Rose bought Thomas' factory in 1814, making it the one Coalport factory that became so famous. Many of the Coalport items, of either factory, are now collectors' items. This service is made of pearlware, which leads us to believe that it might have been made at the old Caughley premises, which had kilns for pearlware - the later Coalport items are not known to be made of pearlware but the shape of the dishes and the sauce comport are clearly a Coalport shape. All items have a beautiful deep orange ground - they were done in different firings as the colour is not entirely consistent, which makes the service very charming. The rims are set off with a beautiful vine pattern in silver, which makes the service even more rare as this was not done often. The items are unmarked, as is usual for that era, except the odd "B", which is probably the gilder's tally mark. CONDITION REPORT The service is in good usable condition with some minor flaws: there is some crazing and wear throughout, which is to be expected of pearlware of this era. The centre piece comport has a slight crack through the side, which is not very visible. One of the plates has a chip on the front of the rim as well as three lines coming off the rim; one has a chip on the underside of the rim; and one has a line coming off the rim. Neither of these stand out and the plates are entirely stable. Antique British china...

A beautiful set of 12 Coalport dinner plates with subtly shaped rims and acid-etched gold borders. The distinctive deep blue enamel ground is con...

Five Coalport dessert plates, 19th century Four matching red One mismatched brown (same pattern) Each dish measures 9.5" diameter Fa...

This is a beautiful saucer dish or deep plate made by Coalport around the year 1815. This plate would have belonged to a large tea service. The plate is decorated with a deep cobalt ...