Anna Burnside
Head of Sale
Lot 183
A rare Chelsea dish, circa 1753
19 November 2025, 10:30 GMT
London, Knightsbridge£600 - £800
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Fergus Gambon
Director
Jim Peake
Head of Department
A rare Chelsea dish, circa 1753
Of lobed form, finely painted in Imari style with prunus blossom to the centre, a plain scalloped line to the cavetto, stylised ears of wheat and flowering branches to the border, the rim edged brown, 17.5cm diam, red anchor mark
Footnotes
Provenance
Peter Smith Collection
Simon Spero exhibition, 2010, no.6
In his 2010 catalogue Simon Spero draws particular attention to the differences between the Japanese Imari and Kakiemon styles at Chelsea, notably the greater use of gilding, more restrained tone, and touches of black enamel, which differentiate the decoration on this dish from the Kakiemon style. Oriental designs had been almost entirely phased out at Chelsea by 1754, and whilst this dish has a red anchor mark, Spero notes how the opacified glaze and decorative motif places it closer to the raised anchor period.