Rembrandt Fine China was a trade name used by CR Hose. They "decorated" chinaware's which means that this fine bone china was NOT created by Rembrandt but most likely started life as an imported blank from Czechslovakia.
Rembrandt undertook the decoration, which I think is transferware NOT hand painted and Gold gilding has also been applied
I hear you! What on earth is a Tennis Set?
The term Tennis Set goes straight back to good old England, and the tennis part is a special reference to Wimbledon (where these were often used by the ladies)
These were an innovative concept for the ladies who liked their 'cuppa tea' and would like to have their cake and eat it too! The big problem for the lady was how would she juggle a separate cake plate, saucer and teacup. To solve this problem, chinaware makers came out with a special cake plate/saucer combination so now the ladies could hold their teacup and cake with one hand. It was common to see the ladies at Wimbledon with these 'tennis sets', thus the name.
Yes, we have owned this souvenir tennis set for many, many years. My wife had a "thing" for tennis sets at one stage but we only have this Rembrandt left and our partial Royal Albert Tennis Set I actually thought we had no more of these but while hunting around for a client, I found this tennis set - lucky last!
These were "fun things" to use for special occasions, not Wimbledon or even the Australian Open but the 'lady of the house' liked to watch Wimbledon, Australian Open and even the Melbourne Cup day while taking a sip and devouring a slice of cake with her special tennis teasets.
As life moves on, so do our "tastes" and we don't see a need for this tennis set any longer.
DLAT RATING: 7/10 (Darling! Look At This!)
REMBRANDT FINE CHINA - Tennis Set (Plate/Saucer & Teacup)
Pattern or design # 168
Circa early 1960's (Rembrandt ceased using this name in the mid 1960's)
Fine china blank - bright white, actually more like a porcelain
Translucent - if held to a light you can very easily see your fingers through the wall of the teacup or plate
DESIGN:
Bright White background, graphic on the saucer/plate and a larger version of the same graphic on one side of the teacup.
Gold gilding applied to the plate/saucer outer edge and the teacup has gilding on the top rim, back of the handle and two rings near the base of the teacup
The plate/saucer has Black block text added below the graphic, this reads:
FISHING ON TUGGERAH LAKES
THE ENTRANCE N.S.W
BACKSTAMP DETAILS
The teacup only has the design or pattern number
168 (Metallic Gold print)
The saucer/plate
(Metallic Gold print)
REMBRANDT
(Graphic of an artists palette)
FINE CHINA
AUSTRALIA
168
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Common to both the teacup and the saucer/plate:
Very Clean
NO chips
NO discolouration to the artwork at all
NO cracks
NO fleabites
NO discolouration inside the Teacup (no tannin stains in other words)
GOLD GILDING CONDITION:
Plate/Saucer:
In two corners (where the fingers would hold the saucer/plate) there IS wear apparent to the gilding. One corner has heavier wear than the other but both are noticeable, out of 10 I would suggest these worn corners rank a 5 at best. The remaining two corners show no wear to the gilding.
Teacup:
NO gilding wear is apparent to either the Base area, the handle or the top rim. If I was to make any comment about the teacup gilding, the top rim Gold has a dull appearance compared to the other gilding on the teacup, but no wear.
So there you have it, an interesting (if somewhat unimaginative design) tennis set which was obviously aimed at the Souvenir market.
