First Period Worcester Porcelain Phoenix Pattern Dessert Plate, Circa 1770

First Period Worcester Porcelain Phoenix Pattern Dessert Plate.

Circa 1770.

The First Period Worcester Porcelain Japan pattern colored dessert plate is painted in the Kakiemon-style colors with two phoenix type birds, one flying above, with wings outstretched, amongst prunus and chrysanthemum sprays with a wheatsheaf motif in the foreground.  The border with a rim of alternating designs, one in gold and one in rouge de fer red and with an inner ring of small groupings of scattered flowers and a bug!

Dimensions: 7 1/2 inches x 1 1/4 inches high.

Condition: Good.

Reference: Worcester Porcelain. 1751-1790, The Zorensky Collection, Simon Spero and John Sandon, Page 249, #298 for a discussion of the "Phoenix" pattern.  

The authors write that "The "Phoenix" pattern is one of the most intricate of Worcester's oriental designs and would have been very costly to produce.  It generally occurs only on the best thin porcelain and is always carefully and exactly painted...The design has adapted a number of Japanese motifs to create a "Rich Kakiemon" pattern so typical of Worcester.  Meissen elements have been incorporated, but, although the shape of dinner plates with a lobed rim is copied from Meissen, the pattern itself does not occur on Meissen or any other porcelain other than Worcester.

Phoenix is not a contemporary name for the pattern but is quite appropriate in view of the flame-like colours used in the design.  Related decoration occurs in panels on some of the finest Worcester vases."

The author point out that the dinner services have the bird's wings folded whereas the dessert service have the wings stretched as here. Gerald Coke, In Search of James Giles, Page 197 plate 25 a & b, suggested that the dinner services were decorated at the factory while the dessert pieces were painted by Giles and illustrates an example of each where the design in b is like that found on these tureens.  Simon Spero and John Sandon, though, feel that as the painting is so similar, it is likely that both were decorated at the factory.

(NY10321B-cmi)

Dimensions

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number