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Lot 114

A Worcester teabowl and a saucer, circa 1754-55

15 December 2020, 10:30 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £765 inc. premium

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A Worcester teabowl and a saucer, circa 1754-55

Thinly potted and brightly painted with the 'Snake in a Basket' pattern of a 'Long Eliza' figure holding a fan, standing beside two interweaving pine trees, a basket with a 'ruyi' sceptre at the foot of the trees, the saucer with a pagoda and 'pylon' trees on a distant island, the reverse of the teabowl with a colourful flying insect, the saucer 12.2cm diam

Footnotes

Provenance
Ralph Kenber Collection

Worcester's 'Eggshell Porcelain'

After a short period of experimenting, by circa 1753 Worcester had perfected its soaprock porcelain body. The factory learned how to cast and finish its teaware shapes with remarkable precision. Unlike rivals at Bow, Chelsea and elsewhere, Worcester could manufacture cups and saucers that were as delicate as the best Chinese tea services. With decoration copying famille rose, customers in England would have been hard pressed to tell the difference between Worcester's teabowls and saucers and the real thing imported from China.

For other pieces of 'Snake in a Basket' pattern see lots 15-18 in this sale.

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