A PAIR OF RARE WORCESTER TEABOWLS AND SAUCERS CIRCA

A PAIR OF RARE WORCESTER TEABOWLS AND SAUCERS CIRCA 1752 Each piece of twelve-sided form with concave fluting, polychrome painted in Kakiemon style with pairs of crane-like birds in a landscape of flowering bamboo, prunus blossom, and lotus leaves, the interior rims with a rui head border (saucers 12cm diameter, teabowls 5cm high) Qty: (4) Footnote: A very similar teabowl and saucer are illustrated in 'Worcester Porcelain', by Henry Sandon, London, 1969, Fig.8, p.34. This rare shape was produced in the early Worcester period. There would have been significant technical challenges in the production of twelve-sided and ten-sided forms, hence there are few examples. It is likely that they were made for display and decorative purposes only as this shape would have been impractical for use. Dr R. B. Cole discusses the problems of manufacture together with the short period of production of these early rare shapes, in his paper ‘Form Versus Function? A Study of some early Worcester tea wares’, NCS Journal, Vol 20, 2003-2004, p 61, fig 7. John Sandon has noted that this rare shape was conceived to set Worcester apart from contemporary pieces being produced at Chelsea, and also from conventional Chinese shapes. There are six patterns recorded on this shape, mostly featuring birds amongst flowers and foliage. A teabowl and saucer of this form, but with Chinese inspired designs, were sold at Bonhams on 18th May 2016, lot 334. A teabowl and saucer of near identical Kakiemon design were sold at Bonhams on 10th December 2008, lot 98, but with a contrasting green diaper and flowerhead border, rather than the rui head border seen on the lots being offered in this sale.