Regency Coalport Porcelain Neoclassical Oval Dishes with Salmon Greek Key Borders, a Pair
Circa 1810-1820

This pair of Coalport porcelain oval dishes is decorated in the neoclassical taste of the Regency period, each with a wide salmon-ground border carrying a bold double Greek key in gilding between gilt bands. The rims are gently shaped with the shallow notches characteristic of John Rose's Coalport wares and are edged in gold.

The wells are covered overall with a fine gilt vermicelli, or "seaweed," ground. At the center of each dish is a circular medallion framed by concentric gilt and white rings, within which a classical figure is painted en grisaille against a deep red ground in imitation of a carved cameo. On one dish a draped woman kneels before a flaming altar, one arm raised above her head and the other extended toward the flame; on the other a woman is seated on the ground in profile, holding up a small sprig of flowers.

The pair may be hung on plate hangers to either side of a mirror or over a console, or stood on a sideboard or in a cabinet, where the salmon and gold sit comfortably with mahogany, gilt wood and neoclassical schemes.

Dimensions:
Width: 121/4 inches (31.1 cm)
Depth: 91/4 inches (23.5 cm)
Height: 21/4 inches (5.7 cm)

Marks: No factory mark. Each dish is impressed with the numeral "2" on the reverse.

Provenance: Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge

Condition: Excellent.

References:
Geoffrey A. Godden, Coalport & Coalbrookdale Porcelains, page 219, illustration 98, for an identical plate, and Color Plate 1 for a similar example.
Michael Messenger, Coalport 1795-1926: An Introduction to the History and Porcelains of John Rose and Company (Antique Collectors' Club, 1995).

Historical Context:
John Rose established his porcelain works at Coalport, on the River Severn in Shropshire, in the mid-1790s and took over the neighboring Caughley factory in 1799. In its first decades the factory made a hard, durable hybrid hard-paste body, and a large part of its output was sold in the white to independent decorators rather than painted at the works. Among those known to have used Coalport blanks were the London workshop of Thomas Baxter at Goldsmith Street, Gough Square, Thomas Pardoe in Bristol, and James Donovan in Dublin, all of whom supplied richly gilded services to a fashionable clientele.

The decoration of these dishes belongs to the severe Grecian taste of the early nineteenth century. White figures set against a dark ground echo antique engraved gems and the jasper cameos that Wedgwood had made fashionable, while the Greek key was taken directly from the borders of ancient painted vases.

(Ref: NY10511-pmrx)


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Good condition

Origin:
United Kingdom

Creator:
Brand: Coalport Porcelain

Materials & Techniques:
Porcelain

Details:
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
What type of item is it? Vintage / Antique / Used

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Good condition