A London-decorated Paris porcelain milk jug from the 'Baltic Service',...

A London-decorated Paris porcelain milk jug from the 'Baltic Service', circa 1802
Of baluster shape, painted with a border of oak leaves and gilded acorns, a panel on the front painted with a fouled anchor within a victor's laurel wreath and gilt inscription 'Nelson 2nd April Baltic', the lower body with further gilding 'Glorious 1st Augt' and 'Aboukir', the interior of the lip with a banderol inscribed 'Nelson 14th February', 14.3cm high to top of handle
Provenance
Probably Reverend William, 1st Earl Nelson
Probably Hilare, Countess Nelson, Duchess of Bronte
Colin Florence Joyce (1889-1968)
With Jean Sewell Antiques, 1978
Bonhams, 1 April 2015, lot 28

This jug comes from one of a small number of sets of this pattern, probably the same set as the teapot in the previous lot, presented to Nelson and his family in 1802. It is likely this jug was part of a set belonging to Nelson's brother, William 1st Earl Nelson and then his second wife, Hilare, Countess Nelson of Bronte. Family relics inherited by Hilare's nephew passed to his grand-daughter Colin Florence Joyce. On her death in 1968, her estate was divided among the children of her cousins. The present jug together with a number of coffee cans and saucers was purchased a decade later by the London porcelain dealers Jean Sewell Antiques.

At least two other milk jugs from the Baltic service are known. The sale in 1895 of Nelson relics from Viscount Bridport included in lot 55 a milk jug with inscriptions that was probably of the Baltic Set design, and this is probably the jug, of identical shape to the present lot, which is now in the National Maritime Museum (no.AAA4590). One other recorded milk jug remained with the portion of the Baltic set given to Nelson's sister Catherine 'Kitty' Matcham. The jug in the Matcham Baltic set is of the same basic shape but taller. The Baltic set had probably been created in a hurry ahead of the Lord Mayor of London's Inauguration and the London china decorator responsible used whatever plain white Paris porcelain was available in 1802. The teacups and coffee cups have differing handle forms and the milk jugs were round-bodied in contrast to the cylindrical teapots.