Object Description
This is a very good early Mason’s Ironstone pottery Shell Dish, finely hand painted in the very decorative Mandarin pattern, produced by the Mason’s factory at Lane Delph, Staffordshire, England, in the George 111rd period, circa 1813-1820.
The plate is potted in the shape of a shell with a side handle. This is a rare dish and even more so in this beautiful Mandarin pattern.
This Dish is beautifully hand decorated in one of Mason’s most striking chinoiserie people patterns, called “Mandarin”. The pattern is boldly hand painted, over-glaze in many different colored enamels, all in varying shades, over an under-glaze printed outline, with some hand gilded highlights. This pattern is illustrated on page 74 of Mason’s pattern book, published by The Mason’s Collectors’ Club.
The base has the printed large crown mark, stating PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA” which is recorded as one of the earliest printed factory marks, which has been color washed in a puce color, all indicating a very early date of circa 1818, as ironstone was only produced by them from 1813, which is late George 111 period.
This is a beautiful and very striking Mason’s Dish and exhibits the free flowing quality and boldness of the hand painting that is seen on the early Mason’s pieces.