Chinese Export Set of 6 Tea Bowls, Imari Lake Landscape, Qianlong 18th C

A matched solitaire tea set consisting of a teapot with cover, a sucrier with cover, a milk jug and a matched trio consisting of a teacup, a coffee cup and a saucer. With pink ground...

This is a beautiful and very rare Belleek cabaret set in the Grass design, consisting of a teapot, two teacups and saucers, a milk jug and a lidded sugar bowl, all placed on a large tray. All items carry the 1st Black Mark, which was used between 1863 and 1891. It is extremely rare to come across an entire cabaret set of these antique items, particularly when in such fabulous condition, so this is a rare opportunity! If you ever thought Belleek fine china looks, sounds and feels unique, you are right. There is a back story to this extraordinarily fine Irish eggshell porcelain, which has an unusually high amount of "frit" and therefore is thinner and finer than any other china. Pottery in Belleek (in the now Northern-Irish area of Fermanagh) had started in 1849 with John Caldwell Bloomfield, who was a wealthy land owner. During the Irish famine...

This is a beautiful orphaned teacup made by Spode in about 1810. It bears a lavish Japanese-inspired Imari pattern. 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, which had come to an end around that time, with their own designs. This was fundamental to a thriving industry that would last for about 150 years and provide half the world with their tableware. Spode porcelain is regarded as one of the highest quality porcelains around; for a soft-paste porcelain it is surprisingly hard and fine, and has a wonderful bright white colour. The pattern on this can is called "Dollar" pattern, a very famous pattern that was used by English potters in the 18th and early 19th Century. It is obvious why it is called “dollar” - but its origin is less obvious! It is thought that this pattern was derived from a very old Chinese pattern depicting a tree with elaborate foliage that hides a Chinese character representing longevity or happiness. Traditionally, this went with a an image called “Taotie”, which was used on very ancient bronze vases...

This is a stunning tea service made by New Hall in circa 1795. The service is made of hybrid hard paste porcelain and decorated in a bold Chinoiserie pattern of large flower sprays. The service consists of a teapot with cover, a milk jug, a slop bowl, and six tea bowls with saucers. This service has provenance; it came from the collection of David Redstone, the well known porcelain expert who wrote leading books on Bow and Chelsea porcelain. The New Hall factory started as a cooperative of several Staffordshire potters making use of the porcelain license of Bristol Porcelain...