In the previous 2 weeks I have shown a very early tea service made by Thomas Rose from about 1800, and then a more sophisticated one by New Hall from about 1810. Today I have a next tea service by John Rose, the elder brother of Thomas Rose. This one was made in about 1815 in early bone china and decorated with what by then had become a beautiful English style of Imari. This exact pattern was also done by Spode, and I've seen it on Derby items as well. Where at first the English copied the Japanese and Chinese Imari designs they were used to from the imported porcelain of the 18th Century, gradually they became masters in developing their very own Imari designs, that remained popular until w
I am fast-forwarding 10 years from last week's wonderful tea service made by Thomas Rose at Coalport. This week I am showing a New Hall tea service from about 1810 - and while many features are similar, it is also very different! In both services the greyish porcelain is similar to Chinese porcelain and clearly from before the time of white bone china. Both have an orientally inspired decoration, to be precise Japanese-inspired. And the items included in both services are similar, with the cups and saucers coming as "trios": a teacup and coffee cup sharing the same saucer (as you would never drink tea and coffee at the same time, would you?). But there are also differences. While the Thomas
It's dragons today! I have recently found some wonderful dragon-like monsters on porcelain from about 1800 to 1820 (have a look in my shop), and here I have a really stunning one again 😍🐲 This is a very rare tea service made by Thomas Rose in Coalport. At Coalport, there were two brothers: John and Thomas Rose, each setting up their own factory across the canal in the 1790s (one can only imagine what this meant about their relationship!). Ultimately the elder brother John became famous with his Coalport factory, while Thomas ended up selling his to John. Thomas, although sharing many designs with his brother, had his own distinct style and this is a beautiful example of the highly decorati
I got lots of interest in last week's wonderful red Coalport dessert service; it nearly got sold but then didn't, so it's still available... but today I have a next wonderful service, and to celebrate this glorious summer we're keeping with red, and we're keeping with flowers! I feel incredibly lucky to be able to show this stunning service made by Derby between 1795 and 1800. It was most likely decorated by John Brewer - we can't tell for sure though because the pages of the pattern book covering this pattern (no. 313) have disappeared so there is no record. But the style seems right. Dessert services were of course the best way to show off your wealth and sophistication to your guests, and
I have featured beautiful Coalport dessert services painted by Cecil Jones before (and see a previous blog post here) - and I am pleased to have a new one! As I have been studying the different flower painters of Coalport carefully and started to recognise their styles, Cecil Jones has probably become my favourite. He was one of the foremost flower painters at Coalport and he liked to give flowers absolute prominence. His flowers are not just decoration; they are like portraits. Each flower takes centre stage and is painted in all its glory. They aren't always "nice"; they can have an almost ominous depth of purple, or a cruel shade of red: uncompromising but glorious. At the same time, the
