Made in Chelsea: A Tale of Cherries and Erratic Quinces

This week, in my second "Favourite Items" video I am showing three beautiful 250-year old Chelsea plates with what I call "cherries and erratic quinces".

Did you ever wonder why these very old porcelain items often have their decorations all over the place, seemingly without a plan? Well, that’s because there was no plan.

Porcelain making was still in its infancy here in England, and items came out of the kiln with all sorts of blemishes: scratches, little cracks, spots and dents. So the decorator would look for these blemishes and simply cover them up with a beautiful butterfly, bug, or, in this case, a quince or cherry.

I think it makes these items uniquely beautiful; more “perfect” porcelain can make you feel a little intimidated, but these plates are just like life: stuff happens! It makes me feel more human and I think these old Chelsea items are deeply personal and touching.

You can find these here in my shop