On offer is a dessert service made by Coalport between 1820 and 1825, which was the Regency period. The items are moulded in the Union shape and with a beautiful pink ground and stunning botanical paintings. The service consists of 12 plates, 2 one-handled shell dishes, 3 square dishes, 4 lozenge shape dishes and a large high-footed comport as the centre piece. The service is in good condition but has extensive wear, which is reflected in the price.
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. 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 was potted in heavy bone china in the famous "Union" shape. You can see the moulded details on the handles of the one-handled dishes and the comport: it bears a rose for England, a thistle for Scotland and shamrocks for Ireland, signifying the Union that united England, Scotland and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which happened in 1801. All items have gadrooned rims.
The decoration of the items consists of a soft pink ground and stunning botanical studies of flowers, many of which are roses. Presumably these flowers were painted by one of the best painters at Coalport. They are in the style of Cecil Jones, although the brush strokes are very slightly different so it probably was another painter who worked with or under Cecil Jones.
The items are unmarked and there is no pattern number at all - either it was washed off on all items, or perhaps this was a special order that was not included in the pattern books.
CONDITION REPORT The service is generally in very good condition but it has quite a lot of wear, which is reflected in the price. There is some very light damage that is not very visible and does not affect the usability of the service: one shell dish has some production faults on the rim; the comport has been broken at the foot and glued; two plates have very slight cracks coming off the rim (not visible from the face); three plates have chips, none of which are very visible. There is no crazing whatsoever.
At a small additional fee we can arrange for the comport to be professionally and invisibly re-glued.
Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, 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 comport 38 X 22cm (15" X 8.75") and 16.5cm (6.5") high; square dishes 23.5 X 23.5cm (9.25 X 9.25") diameter; one-handled dishes 25.5cm X 21.5cm (10" X 8.5"); lozenge shape dishes 29 X 21cm (11.5 X 8.25"); plates 23.5cm (9.25") diameter.
SHIPPING I ship worldwide from the UK. I am happy to combine shipping charges on multiple items - please contact me to discuss. In principle I do not make a profit on shipping although for simplicity's sake I charge flat shipping fees. If the fee charged greatly exceeds the actual cost I will gladly refund you the difference - at the same time if it is slightly lower I will gladly make up the difference. Please note that due to the pandemic shipping costs have generally gone up steeply, and although I use only the most reliable couriers, there can sometimes be some delays.
Coalport dessert service, pink Union shape with flowers,1820-1825
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We always aim to have happy customers so if you have an issue with or questions about your item, please contact us and we will do anything we can to resolve the issue with you!
