Posted 10 years ago
DebbieK
(2 items)
Hello to all of you and I hope you will be able to help me identify some china. This is part of a dessert /tea set comprising 2 plates (1”deep x 9” wide), 12 small dessert plates (3/4” deep x 7 1/8” wide), 1 bowl (2 7/8” deep x 5 3/8” wide), 1 creamer (3 1/8” tall x 4 1/2” wide spout to handle x 3” wide), 12 saucers (3/4” deep x 5 ½ “ wide) and 6 cups (2 ¾” tall x 3 ½” rim to handle x 3“ wide).
Some of the saucers and plates have a very small impressed mark on them (photo attached) which appears to be a cross inside a circle. After looking at literally thousands of china marks the only one that looked anything like it was an early Spode mark. Only one of the marks is very clear, some are more blurred and some seem double marked. However, the shape of this china (quatrefoil) and the outline of the handles don’t appear to look like anything Spode ever made. The quatrefoil shape seemed to be used by Coalport, Meissen and a few others, but I can’t find any china that has a handle in the shape like these.
This set is entirely hand painted, and there are other marks on the bottoms; I’m assuming that they are decorator’s initials or numbers along with a pattern number of 1110 painted in gilt. A double dotted J, 14 or 16 are painted in gilt on the bottoms.
It was purchased over 30 years ago in Portobello market. I’m assuming that it’s English in origin, but that may be an erroneous assumption. It seems to be very fine bone china and wonderfully translucent. I don’t know much of anything about porcelain, but this seems to me very high quality. Nothing I have or have seen before compares to it.
This china pattern seems to have been made by a committee; it has so much going on. Not only is it a quatrefoil; it was a slight swirl and an embossed section that looks like scales. The bowl of the cup and creamer seem to be so much more refined than the handles, and the handle have this odd protuberance in the middle of the inside of the ear.
Hope you guys can steer me in the right direction. I’m wondering whether or not it is worth my while to contact the Spode Museum or Stoke on Trent archives to see if they have any record of a pattern like this. I have looked at so much china on the internet that I’m even dreaming about it, so I’m hoping you guys will end my suffering.
Debbie K
I would definitely contact the museum. It does look like their early 18th century mark. Steve Birks at thepoterries.org may be of some help
Thanks, Mary. I sent an email to Mr. Birks today and will let you guys know what he says if he responds.
Debbie K
Found this set on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/RADFORDIANS-TEA-CUP-AND-SAUCER-TRIO-CAKE-PLATE-COBALT-CREAM-LUSH-GOLD-c1891-/251619494535?pt=Antiques_Decorative_Arts&hash=item3a95b0ca87 and the shape is identical.
Some of the pieces have marks: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RADFORDIANS-TEA-CUP-AND-SAUCER-TRIO-CAKE-PLATE-COBALT-CREAM-LUSH-GOLD-c1891-/251619494535?pt=Antiques_Decorative_Arts&hash=item3a95b0ca87 This mark does coincide with one that Kovel's identified as early Radford's. http://www.kovels.com/mystery-marks/radford-china-plate.html
These plates and saucers seem to have been decorated by the same folks, they're signed with the double dotted j and 14, the same as what's on some of mine.
So I guess this mystery is solved. If someone hadn't put some up for sale on Ebay that happened to have a larger piece with the mark, I might not had ever known. Thanks to all for your help!
Debbie K
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Debbie K