Chine de commande - Armorial / Pseudo-Armorial wares 1700-1800 - Pseudo-Armorial - Page 1

Object 2011822

Dish

China

1770-1790

Height 28 mm (1.10 inch), diameter of rim 242 mm (9.53 inch), diameter of footring 136 mm (5.35 inch), weight 451 grams (15.91 ounce (oz.))

Dish on footring, flat rim with a scalloped edge. Polychrome decorated in various overglaze enamels and iron-red and gold. Initialled in the centre with flowering branches and a butterfly forming the initials 'W M J' on the sides a framework of deutsche blumen (German flowers) joined by fonds of bamboo. On the rim six cartouches filled with deutsche blumen (German flowers) on a white enamelled bianco sopra bianco diaper pattern ground. The reverse is undecorated

In the 18th century the Dutch, the British and, later on, the other European trading nations begin ordering armorial porcelains. Coats-of-arms were now ever increasingly decorated in overglaze colours in dedicated workshops stocked with wares to which a range of borders had been applied. These custom jobs cost many times more than the standard ware and were generally ordered by private traders who rented space on East India company ships. Company captains and officers were likewise inclined to garner a service with their own arms. Initialled porcelain was particularly popular in Scandinavia. (Emden 2015/1, p.108)

For a similarly decorated drinking service with the initials 'WB', please see:

Condition: Some wear to the decoration, a fleabite, two frits, two chips and a hairline to the rim.

References:

Godden 1979, cat. 129.

Emden 2015/1, p.108 & cat. 88

Price: Sold.