Antique 'Willow Pattern' Reticulated Plate circa 1820-1835 Ref. P14
The 'Willow" pattern must be the best known design in pottery and porcelain. Originally derived from the Chinese, by the late 1700's it was being produced in England by Caughley, Minton and Spode
At first, Willow Pattern was almost always seen on useful wares such as tea and dinner services, but later was applied to just about everything, from candleholders to cutlery handles and cow creamers. Potters elsewhere in Europe produced their own version of Willow Pattern, and in the 20th century, factories in the USA and Japan also copied it.
Basically, the story is as follows ' Once upon a time, a young Chinese girl was betrothed by her mandarin father to a rich but elderly merchant. The girl, though, had lost her heart to the young man who worked as her father's secretary so, on the day appointed for her wedding, the young lovers eloped.
They fled across a bridge, pursued by the girl's father, and escaped in a boat to the young man's island home. They were soon caught, and threatened with death for their crimes, but the gods took pity on them; the lovers were transformed into turtle-doves, and flew away together.'
Traditional Willow Pattern has a pagoda or tea house centre right, a bridge with two or three running figures on it on the left, a boat above the bridge, and, beyond that, the youth's 'island home'. Two doves fly above and in the foreground are two trees, one known as either a cherry, apple or orange, and a willow. A densely-patterned blue border surrounds the scene.
This typical, earthenware dessert plate measures 19cm in diamether and is 1.9cm in height. Dating back to the 1820- 1835 era, it has a reticulated rim with a basketweave interior. There is no footrim, and the design is slightly blurred. In good condition, with minimal scratch marks, although slight restoration to some of the pierced border flutes.
Interesting point is that the stilt marks show front of the plate, not on the back, showing that the plate was fired with the design facing down, a procedure not usually done.
The 'arcaded' or reticulated rim is quite rare, it is seen in England in the 1820's and in Germany by Waechtersbach in 1830
Please note, I am NOT a qualified archaeologist/antiquarian and the description I have given is based on research of the subject. This is a genuine antique. Please remember the classification of an 'antique' is that it should be 100 years old, OR MORE. There are many articles being offered as 'antiques' when, clearly, they are not.
Price R440.0 Post R65.00
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