Wileman Tea for One Set, Red Floral Chains on Court Shape, Art Nouveau, 1906

This is a rare and gorgeous Belleek cabaret tea service, or dejeuner set, in the famous Shamrock design, consisting of a teapot, two teacups and saucers, a milk jug, a sugar bowl, and a salt and pepper, all placed on a large matching tray. It is extremely rare to come across an entire cabaret set of these antique items, particularly when in such good condition, so this is a rare opportunity! If you ever thought Belleek fine china looks, sounds and feels unique, you are right. There is a back story to this extraordinarily fine Irish eggshell porcelain, which has an unusually high amount of "frit" and therefore is thinner and finer than any other china. Pottery in Belleek (in the now Northern-Irish area of Fermanagh) had started in 1849 with John Caldwell Bloomfield, who was a wealthy land owner. During the Irish famine...

This is a beautiful and very rare Belleek cabaret set in the Grass design, consisting of a teapot, two teacups and saucers, a milk jug and a lidded sugar bowl, all placed on a large tray. All items carry the 1st Black Mark, which was used between 1863 and 1891. It is extremely rare to come across an entire cabaret set of these antique items, particularly when in such fabulous condition, so this is a rare opportunity! If you ever thought Belleek fine china looks, sounds and feels unique, you are right. There is a back story to this extraordinarily fine Irish eggshell porcelain, which has an unusually high amount of "frit" and therefore is thinner and finer than any other china. Pottery in Belleek (in the now Northern-Irish area of Fermanagh) had started in 1849 with John Caldwell Bloomfield, who was a wealthy land owner. During the Irish famine...

On offer is a beautiful porcelain tea set made by Swansea around the year 1820, which was the Regency era. The set consists of a white and gilt decorated teacup and a larger "breakfa...

This is a rare and beautiful teacup trio made by H&R Daniel in about 1825. The set is potted in the "Etruscan" shape and is decorated in a white ground with a beautiful floral pattern and gilt anthemion sprigs. The trio consists of a teacup, a coffee cup and a saucer. In the 19th Century that's how cups and saucers were sold; as you would never drink tea and coffee at the same time, why invest in an extra saucer? We have a matching cake plate as well, please see separate listing. The H & R Daniel porcelain factory was founded by Henry Daniel, son of a family of master colour makers. He headed up the decoration department in the famous Spode factory where he oversaw all the beautiful early Spode decorations. In 1822 he opened his own factory with his son Richard, creating a truly iconic body of work with the most subtle colours and beautifully painted flowers and landscapes. The Daniel factory was the last true cottage industry among the English porcelain factories, resisting the increase of industrialisation and mass production. This resulted in extraordinary and unrivalled quality, but it probably also led to the factory having to close its doors in 1846 because it could no longer compete with others who did modernise. Daniel porcelain can be hard to identify as the factory was only around for about two decades, but this short duration and the low output also means that Daniel items have become true collectors' items. This set is potted in the "Etruscan" shape, a neoclassical shape with a strikingly angular handle and a graceful classical shape. The set is unmarked except the faded pattern number 3863 on the coffee cup, which points to a date of 1825. A picture of this pattern can be seen on plate 34 of Michael Berthoud and Lybne Price's "Daniel Patterns on Porcelain". CONDITION REPORT The set is in perfect antique condition except some very light rubbing as visible in the pictures. Antique British porcelain...

This is an extremely rare Belleek cabaret set for two, or "tête-à-tête", made in the Erne series brought out in the 1890s. The items carry the 2nd Black Mark, used between 1891 and 1926. The set consists of a teapot, a milk jug, a sugar bowl, two teacups and saucers, and a large matching tray. This set is very fine and with its restrained cream-white colour it would make a wonderful wedding gift! If you ever thought Belleek fine china looks, sounds and feels unique, you are right. There is a back story to this extraordinarily fine Irish eggshell porcelain, which has an unusually high amount of "frit" and therefore is thinner and finer than any other china. Pottery in Belleek (in the now Northern-Irish area of Fermanagh) had started in 1849 with John Caldwell Bloomfield, who was a wealthy land owner. During the Irish famine he realised that unless he would find a way for his tenants to make a profit off the land, they would starve. Agriculture had become impossible due to the agricultural diseases. This caused millions to starve and more millions to leave. As an amateur mineralogist, John Caldwell Bloomfield realised that his land had exactly the right mineral deposits to be used as clay for porcelain. He involved several investors and scientists and after many years of research, trial, error, the building of a railway line to import coal from England, and building a factory, the Belleek pottery resulted, employing the local people and soon producing the finest china made with clay from the Belleek area. What had started as a way to fend off famine among the local tenants had became a story of incredible success by the 1880s as Queen Victoria fell in love with the fine white china and the many homely, slightly bizarre but nature-loving designs; this was different from English tradition, yet it was very much to the taste of the British who had developed a real love for home-made fine china since it was introduced in the late 18th Century. Belleek not only brought out many tea services, but started a new tradition of intricately woven porcelain baskets. Soon the English nobility started to place big orders and the pottery is still flourishing today and selling its wares the world over, while in England most potteries have long disappeared. Belleek made many cabaret services, often called breakfast services or "tête-à-tête" services; these were used to carry breakfast tea up to the bedroom. Queen Victoria bought one in the Echinus style during a visit to the factory in the 1860s, and ever since Belleek's cabaret services have been in great demand. Nowadays there are very few of these left and it is rare to find a full service like this. The Erne series was named after the river right besides the Belleek factory. This river forms the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with the factory on the Northern Irish end of the bridge at Belleek. The pattern seems to be a play on the baskets and nets of the fishermen who once fished the abundant trout and salmon on the river Erne and the lake that belongs to it. The items carry the second Black Mark, which was used between 1891 and 1926, however the very fine quality of the porcelain indicates that most pieces of the set are more likely to be from the 1890s than from the 20th Century. You will see that the shade of cob lustre is different on each item; this is normal for Belleek tea sets...

This is a tea set produced by Grainger Worcester in circa 1830, which was the Rococo Revival era. The set is decorated with birds and consists of a teapot, teapot stand or cake plate and two narrow cups and saucers. Grainger was one of the leading factories in Worcester in the 19th century. It started in the early days of British bone china production at the very beginning of the century, and was merged with Royal Worcester about 100 years later. During this era they were among the leaders of china production, producing exceptionally finely painted and sculpted forms, often jewelled, pierced or reticulated and decorated with exceptional art work. This set is potted in the Rococo Revival style and closely resembles tea services made by Henry Daniel - Grainger was known for making close and very nice imitations of the first class designs by Daniel. The teapot has a nice handle with a large thumb rest and a collared rim. The cups, which are probably coffee cups as they are narrow, have beautifully shaped "rustic bean" handles that closely resemble Henry Daniel's designs of that era. The items are simple white with beautifully hand painted birds in the Sevres style, as well as gilt vine motif. The rims are gadrooned, as was popular around this time. An image of the teapot shape and pattern 1681 (although a more luxurious version with feet, which this teapot doesn't have) can be found in Michael Berthoud's "An Anthology of British Teapots...

This is a complete dessert service for 12 that includes the matching coffee or teapot, creamer and sugar made by Copeland Spode, exclusively for Tiffany and Co. The butterscotch col...

Rosenthal designer Pop Art porcelain tea set for six. "Teeforelle" (Tea Trout). Artist: Christian Ludwig Attersee. Exclusive tea set "Teeforelle", tea set made of German porcel...

This set of 6 rare shaped hexagonal cups and saucers are made by the Ceramic Art Company, ca. 1887-1900 which later became Lenox. They are profusely decorated with elegant Art Nouveau sterling silver overlay with geometrically placed flowers which provides a lovely contrast to the rich cobalt blue ground. The rare shape adds to the beauty and uniqueness of design. The saucers measure 4.75" x 4.75". This set of 6 Ceramic Art Company/Lenox cobalt...

Rosenthal designer porcelain tea set for six. "Leda" Paul Wunderlich. Exclusive tea service, made of German porcelain, signed Paul Wunderlich, edition 500/14, ground mark Rosenth...

An Art Deco embellished china Dessert Set for Coffee or Tea from the company Vielle Abbaye in Limoges France. This set is impeccable and includes a...

Set your table with this rare and complete teaset with bold Art Deco decoration, made by Shelley. The rare shape of the porcelain screams Art Deco, the colors and pattern complete th...