And now for some colour!
After the gorgeous little black-and-white 18thC Worcester tea service from last week, it is time for some colour...
I recently came across a collection of Ridgway plates in the "daisy-moulded" shape; you can see the little daisy flowers moulded into the rim. This was a very popular pattern from the 1830s and Ridgway, as a factory of choice for large dessert services, made countless items in this shape.
We are talking about the opulent 1830s, when the Napoleonic wars with their crippling war taxes and trade restrictions were left behind and Britain was flourishing in the Industrial Revolution. A new middle class emerged out of nowhere; lots of enterprising men and women starting industrialised businesses and getting very rich, very fast. In the 1820s, The Prince Regent had started a trend of very elaborate tableware to show off your wealth and status, and by the 1830s every self-respecting industrialist needed a dinner service or two.
And whoever thinks the past took place in black-and-white, or drab browns and greens... have a look at these plates. And do you remember Bridgerton, the popular Netflix series of a few years ago, taking place in the early Regency era, with all the wonderfully coloured and patterned dresses, curtains and wallpapers? Things only got ever more colourful after that, and you can tell from these plates, all made within the short timespan between 1830-1835, how popular colourful decoration had become.
Imagine that each of these plates belonged to an entire dessert service consisting of lots of dishes, sauce tureens, and place settings for either 12, 24, or 36 people. These plates are lone survivors, and you can tell from the pattern numbers that Ridgway made about 1,000 different patterns like these in the five years between 1830 and 1835.
Take your pick! These plates are wonderful together or alone, and some have already been reserved. There is also one serving dish.
Where to find things
You can find all my plates and single dishes here, and all my available stock here. If you always want to see the latest additions, follow me on Instagram... I post pictures and a story several times a week.
Happy weekend, and bring some colour into your life! 🌸🌼💙🌟🌹
The complete Ridgway hoard:
