Object Description
This is a very beautiful Ironstone Desert Tureen, complete with lid , in the Chinese Thorn pattern, made by Mason’s of Lane Delph, Staffordshire, England, during the early part of the 19th century, circa 1818.
This pedestal tureen is well potted and is melon shaped, standing on a divided two section foot and with two side handles. The domed lid has a flower cone knob handle to the top with a cut-away to take a serving spoon. base and a flower head knob to the lid.
This tureen has a rarely seen superb shape with an equally rare pattern.
The pattern is called “Chinese Thorn” or Prunus Tree, Rock and Flowers and is an early over-glaze hand painted pattern with subtle colour shades, as illustrated on pages 131 in The Mason’s collectors Club book ” A Guide to Mason’s patent Ironstone patterns, c 1813 to c 1848″ . This particular piece is the gilded version of the pattern and has heavily applied hand gilded highlights. A Desert Tureen of the same shape and period is illustrated on Page 153 of Godden’s Guide to Mason’s China and the Ironstone Wares published by the Antique Collectors’ Club.
The piece is marked to the base with Mason’s printed large crown mark in grey, which is a fully recorded mark from the early period, circa 1813 to 1820., the English, Late Georgian period.