HISTORY:
My wife is cleaning out our "overgrown" collection of English (mainly) chinaware because she has high quality chinaware coming out of her ears! Some pieces/collections she has kept but others must find new homes to accommodate our latest passion - fine, artistic 19th Century chinaware/ceramics (hand painted of course)
The Stafford company was founded in 1845 in the township of Longton, Staffordshire
This is NOT the same company as the contemporary Royal Stafford, which was created in 1992 by the merger with Barratts Of Staffordshire
This is yet another beautiful teaset from Royal Stafford that my wife has handed me ("find a new home for these please, Dear)
To provide the utmost in flexibility, each piece is being offered individually (because from experience often only one piece is needed by others and not a complete set or trio) HOWEVER you can use the drop down menu on the front page and select ALL items if you wish to purchase the complete trio (and a discount is automatically applied in this case) ... assuming that someone hasn't already bought just one or two pieces beforehand.
ROYAL STAFFORD - Side Plate/Saucer/Teacup TRIO (Available as separate pieces too)
Made In England
Price indicated is for EACH PIECE, however if all three pieces are selected then an automatic discount does apply in the checkout
Circa 1940's ~ 1950's
Bone China
Pattern: The name is not indicated on any piece HOWEVER the teacup has a code number 87317 hand applied in metallic Gold
The shapes are pretty standard although the teacup has a 'stepped' handle instead of curved and the scalloped rims on the saucer and side plate are quite broad.
Most visually stunning is the use of the bright White base china contrasting with the extensive Gold filigree and Lime Green wash colouring ... this design truly grabs the eye of the beholder!
All decoration has been hand applied and each piece has the gilder's and decorator's marks on the underside.
Of course these items are all translucent, meaning meaning if any of the pieces are held up to a bright light source you can easily see the shadow of your fingers through the china
BACKSTAMPS:
Makers mark on the base of the teacup
Makers mark applied on the base of the saucer
Makers mark applied on the base of the side plate
Note the decorator & Gold gilder's markings to the underside of each piece
COSMETIC CONDITION:
This first section of the condition report is universal to all three pieces, any comments or flaws are below this section
NO cracks
NO chips
NO crazing observed to any of the pieces (wet or dry checked)
NO fleabites
NO wear showing to any of Gold gilding, this means the rim work, the extensive elaborate filigree which runs from the rim almost to the centre of the saucer and side plate and last (but not least) even the teacup shows practically no usage wear to the gilding, even around the most vulnerable areas such as the handle. In my view (and I have been looking at a lot of chinaware over the past year or so!), for bone china that is around 75 years old and has been used, this Gold gilding is in amazing condition.
NO staining (tannin etc) of any kind inside the teacup
OTHER OBSERVATIONS, SPECIFIC TO EACH ITEM
TEACUP
Lime Green banding around the outside is not discoloured at all however I did notice INSIDE the teacup (near the rim in the area of the handle) a short 5mm 'mark' coloured Brown. This is very light but noticeable if you look for it. To the touch I can feel nothing and cleaning with soap & water didn't lift it. I examined it closely under a magnifying glass and cannot see any signs of a crack - it just appears as a 'stain' of some sort which I could not remove using soft cleaning.
SAUCER
The Lime Green central area has some very light Brownish discolouration, they look like spots. This discolouration is not readily apparent unless you look for it, so it is not immediately obvious. The underside has no corresponding signs of damage and upon examination with the magnifying glass, I cannot readily see any crazing evidence (bacteria can get down to the china base if crazing has occurred and then 'lives" underneath the glaze, creating a Brownish discolouration) Again, 'normal' soft cleaning with soap and water did not reduce (or enhance) this discolouration.
SIDE PLATE
This side plate does not have any signs of discolouration to the central Lime Green area BUT it has clearly been in use (Surprise surprise!) and there are a few knife cut marks into the glaze. None of these marks have become discoloured but with a couple of them I can see the White china underneath the Lime Green. Again, these cut marks are not terrible but noticeable if you look for them.
There are no further specific comments to make about any pieces
