Here is another of our dinner sets (actually my parents), ageless ALFRED MEAKIN ... Why ageless?
At first glance you would be forgiven for thinking this chinaware is contemporary, very modern appearance bright white with simple gold gilding only - no flowers, no artists work other than the gilder's craftsmanship.
The beauty of this chinaware is the minimalist style, it doesn't seek to grab your attention with a lot of pretty artwork and for that reason it suits a wide range of dining table decor's.
But don't be fooled by the appearance! This Alfred Meakin china is actually around 60 years old!
I have a massive tableware set and after much thought we decided that it was most likely people would want "bits and pieces" for replacements, rather than the whole dinner set - so each item of this ALFRED MEAKIN Glo-White Ironstone tableware is offered individually
Don't need another soup bowl? Take a look HERE to view the teacups from this set
DLAT Rating 7/10 (Darling Look At This!)
Read on ....
ALFRED MEAKIN - Soup Bowl ONLY
Part of our tableware dinner set, this bowl was used by our family (a long time ago now) for soups. We have some of the little baby desert bowls too, they are advertised separately. See the size comparison in one of the photographs.
Glo-White Ironstone Series (this is NOT the pattern name, but a series that Alfred Meakin began in the late 1940's and there are MANY patterns of this particular chinaware)
Alfred Meakin used the word Ironstone since the company was formed (see one of the photographs) but the Glo-White Ironstone series began in the late 1940's and continued until the 1960's
I know these were purchased back in the early 1960's and once my parents no longer needed them, I became their 'caretaker' and we used them from time to time.
Opaque china, meaning that if held to the light you CANNOT see the shadow of your fingers through the china
Design: No idea is my answer to this one! I have tried to identify the pattern but to no avail
The gold gilded scroll work provides a nice 'touch of class' to the bright white china but there doesn't appear to be a specific name to the scroll work used
Hand crafted gold gilding - each piece has the gold gilder's 'mark' on the base
SPECIAL NOTE:
The skill required to undertake the gold gilding is amazing! If I look very closely you can see it has been hand applied, little bits here and there are not of the same size - there is NO WAY this was 'transfer applied'
NO other graphic design to these bowls at all - bright white all over, inside and outside.
DIMENSIONS:
Outer rim: 168mm diameter
Depth: 50mm
Weight: 250g
Intended for everyday use, true tableware.
BACKSTAMP DETAILS:
The bowls have this backstamp text
GLO-WHITE IRONSTONE
(Crown Graphic)
ALFRED MEAKIN
ENGLAND
Each bowl has the gold gilder's mark also (these can be mistaken for a "slip of the hand" by the guilder but these marks were important for the worker to be paid for their work, per piece not per hour)
CONDITION:
I have just two soup bowls left, in most respects they are identical but one small difference was noticed with the gold gilding and that is mentioned below - PLEASE READ!
NO cracks
NO chips
NO signs of glazing breakdown (Dry observation and Wet tested)
NO discolouration
NO fleabites
Both bowls have very light ~ light cut or scratch marks to the bowls inside from normal use - these are not "pretty little things" that hide away in the china cabinet but were in use quite a bit many years ago.
Light gold gilding wear on both bowls, one bowl you can barely see any wear and the other just a little more - no missing patches of gold gilding though!
If I was to rate the guilding condition out of 10, I would rate these bowls an 9/10. No gilding has been worn away completely but you can see ever so slight wear due to washing and general handling. It is certainly not terrible but it is noticeable when inspected VERY CLOSELY, particularly on the VERY fine gilding line work.
