The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

Figure of the Day: A Chinese Incense Burner, Eighteenth Century

 

Incense Burner
Chinese
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period
1736-1795
The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool



From the Chinese collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool, England, comes this lovely porcelain incense burner. In the form of a rabbit atop a cloud, carrying a branch of fungus on its arched back, this vessel with its celadon glaze also features painted details in brown and sapphire blue.

The mouth and nostrils are ventilated, allowing for the smoke of the incense (which was burned inside of it) to escape and fill the air with fragrance. This object was created in the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795). 

The Home Beautiful: The Elephant Hall Chair, c. 1725

Hall Chair
c. 1725
Altered after 1762
This and all related images from
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A hall chair such as this one was made to give a waiting servant a place to sit without being too comfortable. They generally were arranged in the front hallway of a large townhouse or country estate. A footman would often spend hours waiting in the hall for his master to return home or even just to have a door opened. Still, even though such chairs were meant to be utilitarian and rigid, they were also expected to be stylish and handsome. Often, these chairs would display the arms of the owner of the home. 


This example, from about 1725, reflects the initial interest in chinoiserie. The lacquered backboard and seat-board were commissioned by a British furniture maker from a Chinese maker. The pattern for the coat of arms was surely sent out with the order. The individual pieces were shipped back to England where they were set into the carcass of the chair which had already been japanned in imitation of the Asian lacquer.

This chair reflects the complex patterns of trade and stylistic influence between Europe and East Asia in the 18th century. The lacquered back-board and seat-board were commissioned in Britain from China, and a pattern for the lacquered coat of arms must have been sent out with the order. The two boards could be packed flat to take up minimal space in the ship on its return voyage. On arrival they were assembled with the seat rails and legs, which were made in Britain and 'japanned' here in imitation of lacquer. Hall chairs of this type were fashionable in Britain in the 1720s-30s, and a number of similar examples survive. 

The original owner of this chair is unknown, as the original coat of arms has been altered. The existing armorial shield and elephant crest is painted in oils over the original lacquered arms. The existing crest is for Sir Herbert Pakington, Baronet, and his wife Elizabeth Hawkins. According to the V&A, “These arms must have been painted after Sir Herbert succeeded to the title in 1762 – a generation after the chairs were made.”

Unfolding Pictures: King George IV’s Ivory Cockade Fan, 1790

Ivory Cockade Fan
China, 1790
The Royal Collection

Cockade fans differ from standard hand fans in that they open to a full 360 degrees. Such fans were first recorded in use during early medieval times though they may have been employed much earlier in their country of origin--China.

This cockade fan is one of a pair, and does, in fact, herald from China where it was made for the Western market. Asian craftsmen were celebrated for their ivory-carving skills, often using intricate patterns and templates to create unbelievably complex scenes. This fan features a scene of musical instruments, feathers and chrysanthemums around a depiction of a tiger hunt, and archers. Because the fan was intended for male use, the grip is broader and thicker.

In addition to the scene described above, the fan, having been made expressly for George IV (while still Prince of Wales) bears the coat of arms and motto of the Prince of Wales in addition to the three feathers of the Prince of Wales and his cipher which are repeated on the carved presentation box. 

The Art of Play: A Chinese Shadow Puppet, late 19th C.

Shadow Puppet
China, Late Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Shadow puppets are neat. But, then, I’m a puppet fancier, so I suppose I’d be inclined to think so. This one comes from China and dates to the late Nineteenth Century. It’s a tiger! He’s got very handsome tiger striped and a feline face—all hand painted.

This tiger is made up of eight individual pieces which are joined with twine at the head, neck, body, waist and tail. These moveable joints allow the puppet to be manipulated in realistic-looking way. Rods at the head and tail are used to move the joints. He’s composed of oil parchment and painted with watercolor.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Coronation Golden Persephone Salad Crescent, 1953

Salad Crescent
Wedgwood, 1953
Golden Persephone Pattern
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For the Coronation Banquet following the crowning of a new monarch, it’s customary to create new china which represents the incoming sovereign’s tastes and sensibilities. For the Coronation Banquet of Queen Elizabeth II, a new set of beautiful china was designed—at the Queen’s request--which was based upon the pattern used for the Queen’s father, King George VI.

The pattern, entitled, “Golden Persephone” was inspired by the 1936 design of Eric Ravilious, made by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. An impressive new service in gold upon cream bone china was manufactured by Wedgwood. Here, we see a salad crescent from the set. Examples from the service were donated to the V&A by Her Majesty following the banquet.

To Serve and Project: The Minton Phoenix Dish, c. 1825

Click Image for Original Size Picture
Dish, c. 1825
Minton &  Co.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made at Minton’s Stoke-on-Trent factory, this porcelain plate is painted in enamel colors and adorned with fine gilding. Dating to about 1825, this oval plate features a high, shaped rim which frames the oval panel in the center which depicts flowering plants.

Two birds, based on Chinese paintings, adorn the plate. I’d guess they were meant to represent the phoenix. The sides come alive with panels of cloud ornament while the high rim is decorated with rosettes and a pattern of dots on a blue ground. Eight floral scenes punctuate the rim.

The 1820s, especially in England, saw a stylistic turn, a stylized nod to Asian themes, which found a comfortable spot in the home. Such Asian-inspired motifs adorned everything from porcelain to furnishings and offered an interesting counterpoint to the heavier, darker pieces which had long been in fashion. 

The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

To Serve and Project: The Dresser Vegetable Dish and Lid, 1884

Vegetable Dish and Lid
Christopher Dresser, 1884
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Designed by the famed Christopher Dresser (1834 – 1904) for Old Hall Works in 1884, this vegetable dish is from a dinner service of earthenware is adorned with a transfer-printed pattern. As we know, these were the most affordable methods of creating dinnerware at the time, and, so, materially, the set is not out of the ordinary. However, Dresser didn’t create anything which didn’t have something special about it, and this dinner set does have some interesting features.

Christopher Dresser was as much of a slave to practicality as he was to beauty. With this set, he included some special features which were designed to make life easier. For example, Dresser designed an extra dip in the soup bowls to help in scooping up the last spoonful. The design of the dinner plates incorporated indentations in the rims for condiments and sauces.

The design of the set is perfectly represented by this vegetable dish and lid with their strongly geometric form. This shape was typical of Dresser's design style as was the decoration. He trained as a botanist and, therefore, always had an interest in organic forms. Even during his own lifetime, Dresser was described as a “pioneer of modern design” and one of the most prolific designers of his time. He famously promoted quality, machine production and the use and discovery of new materials. Furthermore, his work was considered quite fashionable—elegant enough for the finest homes, but inexpensive enough for daily use.

Though made in 1884, this particular design was not registered until 1886. Curiously, Dresser called the pattern “Shanghai” even though there is no hint of Chinese or Asian ornament or style. The Victorians enjoyed referring to china patterns by unrelated names. Dresser also introduced two other patterns the same year, both named for places which had nothing to do with their design—“Persian” and “Hampden.”

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Pomona Serving Dish

The Victoria and Albert Museum

Here's a serving dish which would make any host or hostess proud. It is decorated with images that are influenced by typically asymmetrical Japanese designs. Such dishes were manufactured in large numbers and were meant to appeal to the late Nineteenth-Century customer with little money to spare.

The composition of the design of this transfer-printed pattern includes asymmetrically placed, unrelated scenes unified by an apple tree which is set in a marshy landscape. Two of the scenes appear to be of the British countryside, while the third is, rather curiously of a pelican. The pattern is named "Pomona" after the goddess of fruit, especially apple, trees.

This is probably the work of Worthington & Harrop of the Dresden Works, Hanley, Staffordshire, which is known to have been in operation from 1856 to 1873. However, it might also have been made by Wood & Hulme (Henry Hulme) of Garfield Pottery, Burslem, Staffordshire, operating from about 1882 to 1932. Oddly enough, both of these potteries used "W&H" as their mark.

Object of the Day: Parian Busts of King George V and Queen Mary, 1911

Two years ago, I showed you a new addition to my collection of Royal memorabilia.  The pair of sculptures is still particularly exciting to me. I found these beautiful parian busts commemorating the 1911 coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.  Since I purchased these century-old busts as my way of commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1911 coronation, I thought today, I'd show them to you again on the day after the 102nd anniversary.

The King and Queen are beautifully rendered in parian by the Arcadian China Co. They rest on bases which have been glazed and enameled in the colors of the Union Jack. Each base bears the birth date of the respective Royal and the reverse of the King’s base states the date of his accession.

The likenesses are uncannily good—difficult to do in soft-paste porcelain. And, in short, I just love them.

The Home Beautiful: The Elephant Hall Chair, c. 1725

Hall Chair
c. 1725
Altered after 1762
This and all related images from
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A hall chair such as this one was made to give a waiting servant a place to sit without being too comfortable. They generally were arranged in the front hallway of a large townhouse or country estate. A footman would often spend hours waiting in the hall for his master to return home or even just to have a door opened. Still, even though such chairs were meant to be utilitarian and rigid, they were also expected to be stylish and handsome. Often, these chairs would display the arms of the owner of the home. 


This example, from about 1725, reflects the initial interest in chinoiserie. The lacquered backboard and seat-board were commissioned by a British furniture maker from a Chinese maker. The pattern for the coat of arms was surely sent out with the order. The individual pieces were shipped back to England where they were set into the carcass of the chair which had already been japanned in imitation of the Asian lacquer.

This chair reflects the complex patterns of trade and stylistic influence between Europe and East Asia in the 18th century. The lacquered back-board and seat-board were commissioned in Britain from China, and a pattern for the lacquered coat of arms must have been sent out with the order. The two boards could be packed flat to take up minimal space in the ship on its return voyage. On arrival they were assembled with the seat rails and legs, which were made in Britain and 'japanned' here in imitation of lacquer. Hall chairs of this type were fashionable in Britain in the 1720s-30s, and a number of similar examples survive. 

The original owner of this chair is unknown, as the original coat of arms has been altered. The existing armorial shield and elephant crest is painted in oils over the original lacquered arms. The existing crest is for Sir Herbert Pakington, Baronet, and his wife Elizabeth Hawkins. According to the V&A, “These arms must have been painted after Sir Herbert succeeded to the title in 1762 – a generation after the chairs were made.”

Sculpture of the Day: A Chinese Incense Burner, Eighteenth Century

 

Incense Burner
Chinese
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period
1736-1795
The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool



From the Chinese collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool, England, comes this lovely porcelain incense burner. In the form of a rabbit atop a cloud, carrying a branch of fungus on its arched back, this vessel with its celadon glaze also features painted details in brown and sapphire blue.

The mouth and nostrils are ventilated, allowing for the smoke of the incense (which was burned inside of it) to escape and fill the air with fragrance. This object was created in the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795) and today seems just the perfect secular image for Easter. 

The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

Figures of the Day: A Set of Four Chinese Figures, 17th C.

Set of Four Figures
China, c. Seventeenth C.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made in South China, during or before the Seventeenth Century, this set of four figures is crafted of white porcelain, partly glazed in blue.

The set was purchased by John Crace for the Prince Regent in 1803. The figures were among a group purchased for the future King George IV which included “Six Blue China Figures-- £1.10.0.”

Similar groups of Chinese figures from the same period have surfaced in other museums. Overall, it is believed that these types of figurines were given to powerful men as a wish token meant to encourage the birth of a male heir.

The Art of Play: A Chinese Shadow Puppet, late 19th C.

Shadow Puppet
China, Late Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Shadow puppets are neat. But, then, I’m a puppet fancier, so I suppose I’d be inclined to think so. This one comes from China and dates to the late Nineteenth Century. It’s a tiger! He’s got very handsome tiger striped and a feline face—all hand painted.

This tiger is made up of eight individual pieces which are joined with twine at the head, neck, body, waist and tail. These moveable joints allow the puppet to be manipulated in realistic-looking way. Rods at the head and tail are used to move the joints. He’s composed of oil parchment and painted with watercolor.

To Serve and Project: The Minton Phoenix Dish, c. 1825

Click Image for Original Size Picture
Dish, c. 1825
Minton &  Co.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made at Minton’s Stoke-on-Trent factory, this porcelain plate is painted in enamel colors and adorned with fine gilding. Dating to about 1825, this oval plate features a high, shaped rim which frames the oval panel in the center which depicts flowering plants.

Two birds, based on Chinese paintings, adorn the plate. I’d guess they were meant to represent the phoenix. The sides come alive with panels of cloud ornament while the high rim is decorated with rosettes and a pattern of dots on a blue ground. Eight floral scenes punctuate the rim.

The 1820s, especially in England, saw a stylistic turn, a stylized nod to Asian themes, which found a comfortable spot in the home. Such Asian-inspired motifs adorned everything from porcelain to furnishings and offered an interesting counterpoint to the heavier, darker pieces which had long been in fashion. 

Unusual Artifacts: A Wedding Wreath, 1854

Click image to enlarge.
Wedding Wreath
Hampshire, England, 1854
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Image

A mid-Nineteenth Century bride, perhaps looking back to the tradition carried on by Queen Victoria at her 1840 marriage to Prince Albert, would likely have wanted to adorn her head with a crown of orange blossoms. The practice of the bride wearing orange blossoms dates back many centuries to China. The flowers were long considered a symbol of purity and innocence and the trend quickly caught on in Europe when trade with the East became more common. By the early 1800s, English brides had adopted the custom, and, it’s one that endures to this day.

The trouble with the blossoms was that they faded quickly. For a bride wishing to preserve her marriage wreath as a memento or, even, to be worn by future generations, the use of real orange blossoms proved, at best, inconvenient. And, so, imitation orange blossoms were fashioned. Women’s periodicals of the era instructed ladies how to make their own wedding crowns and wreaths that emulated the real flower. Most commonly, wax, paper, and cloth were used to create the look of foliage—allowing the wreath to be preserved on a “memory chair” or “marriage chair” under a glass dome.

Here’s a great example of a faux orange blossom wreath. Made in 1854, this wedding crown has long been associated with the marriage of Elizabeth Wroughton Richards to Edward Nugée of Hampshire. It’s quite rare for such an object to survive in such perfect condition. Most interestingly, instead of the usual waxed paper blooms fashioned on structures of wired ribbon, this one is constructed entirely of feathers. Some of the white feathers have been died in shades of green to emulate foliage and others have been tinted yellow to give dimension to the blossoms. 

It’s possible that this expertly made wreath had been purchased from a milliner’s shop. However, it’s a likely bet that the piece was fashioned at home by a very talented individual. 

Painting of the Day: The Summer Plaque, 1860

Click on Image to Enlarge
Summer
After Lancret
Minton
Stoke on Trent, c, 1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A plaque of bone china, this object has been painted with enamels to represent a traditional and easily-recognized summer scene. Simply entitled “Summer,” the oblong plaque has been mounted in a brass frame. The scene depicts two reapers and a woman on the edge of a cornfield. The group is fascinated by a covey of partridge chicks.

This decorative item was meant to be displayed on a sideboard, piano, table or mantel—resting on a matching decorative stand. However, it’s also fitted to be hung on a wall. It was made c. 1860 by Minton and Company of Stoke-on-Trent, England. It’s one of a pair with scenes after a composition by Nicolas Lancret. 

To Serve and Project: The Dresser Vegetable Dish and Lid, 1884

Vegetable Dish and Lid
Christopher Dresser, 1884
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Designed by the famed Christopher Dresser (1834 – 1904) for Old Hall Works in 1884, this vegetable dish is from a dinner service of earthenware is adorned with a transfer-printed pattern. As we know, these were the most affordable methods of creating dinnerware at the time, and, so, materially, the set is not out of the ordinary. However, Dresser didn’t create anything which didn’t have something special about it, and this dinner set does have some interesting features.

Christopher Dresser was as much of a slave to practicality as he was to beauty. With this set, he included some special features which were designed to make life easier. For example, Dresser designed an extra dip in the soup bowls to help in scooping up the last spoonful. The design of the dinner plates incorporated indentations in the rims for condiments and sauces.

The design of the set is perfectly represented by this vegetable dish and lid with their strongly geometric form. This shape was typical of Dresser's design style as was the decoration. He trained as a botanist and, therefore, always had an interest in organic forms. Even during his own lifetime, Dresser was described as a “pioneer of modern design” and one of the most prolific designers of his time. He famously promoted quality, machine production and the use and discovery of new materials. Furthermore, his work was considered quite fashionable—elegant enough for the finest homes, but inexpensive enough for daily use.

Though made in 1884, this particular design was not registered until 1886. Curiously, Dresser called the pattern “Shanghai” even though there is no hint of Chinese or Asian ornament or style. The Victorians enjoyed referring to china patterns by unrelated names. Dresser also introduced two other patterns the same year, both named for places which had nothing to do with their design—“Persian” and “Hampden.”