HISTORY:
While not a "pretty piece of tableware" by any means, my wife retained this gravy boat slop dish for historical reasons, not it's beauty!
It's all in the backstamp, very simple (no crowns, no fancy scroll work and no ENGLAND in the markings) The backstamp photograph is below and is in what we believe is called Heritage Green italicised capital letters except for the Co. Immediately below the makers name is the letter L - this was a very early marking used to indicate Longton, where the works were located.
While there is light crazing, it does not seem to have allowed the dish to become porous - when soaked in water, the earthen ware base does not change colour (if porous, the earthen ware would have become darker when wet)
My wife is offering this dish from her "Oh, now that's very interesting" collection of all things very old, she currently is collecting pre-1900 pieces but has more interest in porcelain figurines and the like, not so much with the table wares.
H. AYNSLEY & Co. - Gravy Boat base dish ONLY
Made in Longton, Stock-On-Trent, England
Circa late 19th Century, somewhere in the period 1870's ~ 1890's
This is one part of a two part dinner table accessory, the gravy boat. We only have the base dish for the gravy boat and have never had the latter.
Gravy boat base dish (for catching slops) has a flat lifting handle on either end.
Earthen ware base which is a Mushroom colour. This colouring is the same all over the dish and we feel that this is the intended colour, not a colour "corrupted" by the crazing.
The design or pattern name is unknown and we have never seen another like this (which may have helped us know what this pattern was called). The design looks to have been hand applied (makes sense in the late 1800's) and is composed of very fine brush "dabs" and strokes. The pattern features flowers with foliage and in a band near the top rim is a "scroll like" pattern.
The decoration is monochromatic, just one colour folks (like the old B&W films of the day!) we believe this colour is referred to as Heritage Green but if that is not the correct colour name, it is a light "grass-like" colouring, not bright and vivid but quite subdued which actually works well with the Mushroom base material.
Opaque of course (earthen ware) which means if held to a strong light source, you will never see your fingers through the material
There is no Gold gilding, this was part of a dinner set intended for "everyday use"
DIMENSIONS:
248mm (almost 10") length including the flat lighting tabs/handles x 162mm (almost 6.5") wide
Shallow dish with a central oval depression to ensure the gravy boat sits safely in place.
There is no decoration within this central area except where the decorator of the piece seems to have become over enthusiatic and the pattern has drifted into this area, it doesn't appear to be intentional!
WEIGHT: 360g
BACKSTAMP DETAILS:
This photograph is taken from this actual gravy boat base slop dish
There are no discernable Artist marks although there is a tiny (and unreadable) marking just above the H. and to the left a little
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
NO cracks observed
Base colouring and the decorative work look to be in reasonable condition, albeit a bit worse for wear after approximately 120+ years on this earth. Not perfect by any means but no obvious significant damage to the pattern. Three tiny pin prick holes were noticed topside on one side, these look to have been caused by incorrect firing - as though the glaze had a couple of tiny air bubbles in it when being fired.
NO chips around the rim
On the underside, at each end near the lifting handles is one fleabite - small and not a problem, of more significance is two chips on the UNDERSIDE of one handle, the other handle is clear of these defects.
I noticed while looking carefully all over this dish that the glaze is pretty heavily applied, this may be why I can see a lot of light crazing but it doesn't appear to allow water to reach the base material when soaked for a long time.
There you go ... a piece of historical interest, perhaps just a bit too "plain Jane" to put out on the dinner table but a great talking piece (if you want to impress your friends with your vast English vintage pottery knowledge that is!)
