Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 21

Rare Chamberlain Co. Dessert Service, Blind Earl

$3,350List Priceper set

About the Item

This is an extremely rare dessert service made by Chamberlain Company (Worcester) between 1840 and 1851. Robert Chamberlain started his own porcelain company in 1791, initially mainly decorating other factories' blanks, but then increasingly producing his own distinctive hard-paste porcelain. The company became very successful, but ultimately couldn't compete with the Barr Flight factory and merged with them in 1840. The company was called Chamberlain Company for the next decade or so, after which it ended up in the hands of Richard Binns and William Kerr, who modernised the factory and ultimately created the famous Royal Worcester factory in the 1860s. This dessert service was most probably made for the US market. It is a pattern that was popular in the 18th century, called "Blind Earl", but this version is extremely rare: instead of the usual polychrome, this was done in simple underglaze flow blue on white, with gilt highlights. This combination of colors was not popular in Britain, but customers in the US loved it, so most probably this was made for export. The "Blind Earl" pattern consists of cheerful large foliage with closed flower buds that are moulded onto the surface. This 18th century pattern has been repeated many times up to only several decades ago. The pattern was called after George William Coventry, the fifth Earl of Coventry (1722-1809), who was the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. In 1780, George William suffered from a hunting accident and lost his sight completely. It is said that he first ordered a service like this (although in polychrome colors with bright greens) because he wanted to be able to feel his beautiful china, since he couldn't see anymore. Although this is a fabulous story, historians tend to disagree as the first blind earl china was produced by the Worcester Porcelain Company in the 1750s while George William’s accident occurred in 1780. There can be two explanations: either the story was wrongly attributed to George William's accident after the fact, or perhaps already in the 1750s there was hereditary blindness in the family, and the hunting accident story was made up to explain away George William's blindness, either way, it is a good story and this pattern will be called "Blind Earl" forever! Most items are marked with the printed puce mark for Chamberlain Company, pointing to a date between 1840 and 1851; one plate and one tureen are marked with the Worcester crescent mark. This makes sense as during this period the factory worked from both sites (as visible from the double address in the mark). Condition report: The service is in excellent antique condition without any structural damage, no repairs and hardly and crazing or wear. The Worcester plate and sauce tureen are crazed; there are two or three minute chips off rims of plates (not visible from the front) and there is some rubbing to the gilt mainly on the lozenge shaped dishes, as visible in the pictures. There are no cracks anywhere. Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account. There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1 mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Etcetera, I try to be as accurate as I can Dimensions: Plates 22.2 cm (8.75") diameter; sauce tureens stand 21 cm (8.25") high and are 24 cm (9.5") wide; lozenge shape dishes 31 x 23 cm (12 x 9"); square dish 23 x 23 cm (9 x 9").

Creator:
Chamberlain Co (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 1 in (2.54 cm)Width: 1 in (2.54 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 13
Style:
George I (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Porcelain,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1840-1849
Date of Manufacture:
1840-1851
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent condition without damage or repairs, very small amount of crazing and rubbing and a few tiny nicks.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: A-CHA031stDibs: LU4805117304022

Antique 1810s English Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

English Chamberlain Worcester Porcelain Part Dessert Service, circa 1815

$75,000 / set

H 1.25 in Dm 8.5 in

18th Century Worcester Blind Earl Porcelain Dish

By 1st Period Worcester Dr. Wall, James Giles

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

A Worcester Blind Earl porcelain plate made circa 1770 with beautifully enamelled decoration of butterflies and insects among raised leaf and rose...

Category

Antique 1770s English Rococo Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

18th Century Worcester Blind Earl Porcelain Dish

$2,750

H 1 in Dm 7.5 in

English Porcelain Dessert Service, circa 1820

Located in New York, NY

Each piece finely decorated with a different landscapre, the yellow ground border with floral arrangments in compartments, Comprising 1 compote, pair of covered sauce tureens, 16 pla...

Category

Antique 1820s English Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

English Porcelain Dessert Service, circa 1820

$22,500

H 1 in Dm 10 in

Extensive English Porcelain Dessert Service, circa 1825

Located in New York, NY

Pair of covered fruit coolers, pair of covered sauce tureens, pair of open work baskets, 1 compote, 4 kidney-shaped dishes, pair of square dishes, pair of oval dishes, 16 plates.

Category

Antique 1820s English Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Extensive English Porcelain Dessert Service, circa 1825

$76,000

H 1 in Dm 9 in

Antique German Porcelain Twelve Piece Dessert Service

Located in London, GB

Antique German porcelain twelve piece dessert service German, c. 1880 Measures: Seven flat plates: Height 2cm, diameter 22cm Four raised plates: Height 6.5cm, diameter 25cm Large...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century German Neoclassical Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Antique German Porcelain Twelve Piece Dessert Service

$7,520 / set

H 3.94 in Dm 9.85 in

Minton Hand Painted Ornithological 13 Piece Dessert Service- C. Dresser

By Christopher Dresser

Located in Great Barrington, MA

This amazing 13 piece hand painted ornithological dessert service is painted in the "Aesthetic Movement Style" with each exotic bird realistically represented in it's natural landscape. The subjects have a restrained and elegant look, each framed by the amazing Christopher Dresser designed, Japanese...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Aesthetic Movement Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain, Paste

Minton Hand Painted Ornithological 13 Piece Dessert Service- C. Dresser

$12,500 / set

H 2.5 in Dm 9.25 in

Regency Large Coalport Porcelain Dessert Service-Thirty Nine Pieces

By Coalport Porcelain

Located in Downingtown, PA

Regency Rarity: Spode Porcelain Dessert Service, Pattern 2314 This extensive and highly theatrical Spode Porcelain Dessert Service, dating to the peak of the Regency era around Circ...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Regency Large Coalport Porcelain Dessert Service-Thirty Nine Pieces

$30,000 / set

H 1 in Dm 9 in

Chamberlains Armorial Plate Set from the Carnatic Service Nawab of the Carnatic

Located in London, GB

Chamberlains received an order for two magnicent services which were made for Nawab of the Carnatic, Azam Jah (r.1819-1825), around 1820 (India). The pink set...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Chamberlains Armorial Plate Set from the Carnatic Service Nawab of the Carnatic

$16,408 / set

H 1.58 in W 12.6 in D 10.63 in

Hicks and Meigh Hand Painted Botanical Complete Dessert Service

By Hicks Meigh

Located in Great Barrington, MA

This is one of the most complete and unusually decorated dessert sets with all the serving pieces and shaped serving pieces. The shaded purple background creates a dramatic contrast ...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Porcelain

Materials

Paste, Porcelain

Hicks and Meigh Hand Painted Botanical Complete Dessert Service

$10,500 / set

H 5 in Dm 9 in

COPELAND, Antique Gilt Porcelain Ornithological Dessert Service, Circa 1851-95

By Copeland

Located in Chatham, ON

COPELAND - Rare - museum quality - antique porcelain ornithological luncheon or dessert service - each plate and comport hand painted with three different specimens of birds against leafy branches - floral sprays to the center and border of each piece - alternating sections of cobalt blue with the finest quality gilding - each piece with fluted & scalloped edges - incredible attention to detail with the underside of the tall comports completely decorated - total of 18 pieces (12 plates - 2 tall comports - 4 short comports) - impressed letters & numbers - hand painted model number on each piece - 1/2642 - each piece with under glaze blue factory stamp - United Kingdon - circa 1851-95. Excellent antique condition - restored tall comport - a few minor edge chips - minor gilding loss - otherwise in fine antique form...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Aesthetic Movement Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

COPELAND, Antique Gilt Porcelain Ornithological Dessert Service, Circa 1851-95

$7,500

H 0.75 in Dm 8.13 in

More From This Seller

View All

Chamberlains Worcester Dessert Service, White with Flowers, Regency, ca 1822

By Chamberlains Worcester

Located in London, GB

This is a spectacular and rare dessert service made by Chamberlains Worcester in about 1822. The service consists of a high comport, 2 square dishes, 1 kidney shaped dish, 3 shell di...

Category

Antique 1820s English Regency Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Chamberlains Worcester Dessert Service, White with Flowers, Regency, ca 1822

$17,950 / set

Derby Porcelain Part Dessert Service, Red Botanical, John Brewer, 1795-1800

By John Brewer, Crown Derby

Located in London, GB

This is a stunning part-dessert service made by Derby between about 1795 and 1800, painted with named botanical studies by John Brewer. The service consists of a lidded sauce comport on a stand, two kidney shaped dishes, two lozenge shaped dishes, one lozenge shaped low footed comport...

Category

Antique 1790s English George III Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Derby Porcelain Part Dessert Service, Red Botanical, John Brewer, 1795-1800

$11,500 / set

Free Shipping

H R Daniel Dessert Service, Floral with Lilac Sprigging, Regency, 1824

By H&R Daniel

Located in London, GB

This is a stunning dessert service made by H&R Daniel in 1824. The set consists of a large centre piece comport, two sauce comports (without covers), four large rectangular dishes, f...

Category

Antique 1820s English Regency Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

H R Daniel Dessert Service, Floral with Lilac Sprigging, Regency, 1824

$5,200 / set

Spode Creamware Dessert Service, Avocado Green, Chinoiserie, Regency, 1814

By Spode

Located in London, GB

This is a beautiful Spode creamware dessert service made in 1814, which was the Regency era. The service is decorated in a printed and hand-colored Chi...

Category

Antique 1810s English Regency Porcelain

Materials

Creamware

Spode Creamware Dessert Service, Avocado Green, Chinoiserie, Regency, 1814

$4,350 / set

Free Shipping

Spode Felspar Floral Dessert Service, Yellow, Butterfly Handles, circa 1822

By Spode

Located in London, GB

This is a stunning and very rare dessert service made by Spode in 1822, which was the Regency era. This beautiful service, which is in perfect condition, would be fantastic for a summer dinner party! The service is made of Felspar porcelain and decorated in a beautiful pale yellow colour with an "Oeil de Perdrix" pattern and top quality floral reserves. The service consists of two lidded sauce tureens with stands, two deep rectangular dishes, two lozenge shaped dishes, one square dish, and six square dessert plates Spode was the great Pioneer among the Georgian potters in England. Around the year 1800 he perfected the bone china recipe that has been used by British potters ever since, and he was also the leading potter behind the technique of transferware, making it possible for English potters to replace the Chinese export china...

Category

Antique 1820s English Regency Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Spode Felspar Floral Dessert Service, Yellow, Butterfly Handles, circa 1822

$11,500 / set

Minton Dessert Service, Inverted Shell White with Monochrome Flowers, ca 1830

By Minton

Located in London, GB

This is a stunning dessert service made by Minton probably around the year 1830, in their "second period". The service consists of a high footed centre piece, two square dishes, two ...

Category