Worcester Porcelain Manufactory
Spoon Tray

Public Domain

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Maker Worcester Porcelain Manufactory(English, established 1751)English, established 1751

CultureEnglish

Titles

Spoon Tray
from the "Fence" pattern

Datec. 1765–1775

Made inWorcester, England

MediumSoft-paste porcelain

Dimensions3/4 × 6 1/4 × 3 5/8 in. (1.9 × 15.9 × 9.2 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Mrs. Charles R. Brown

Object numberB.70.22

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Drawing Room

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

CERAMICS

DescriptionDoctor John Wall and three partners established the Worcester Porcelain Factory in 1751. The following year, the firm purchased the Bristol factory of Benjamin Lund and so acquired much technical know-how. The factory soon began producing good quality, thinly potted, and durable soft-paste porcelain that did not crack or craze in contact with hot liquids. It made large quantities of tea and coffee wares and decorative vases. The factory pioneered the use of transfer-printing, from 1757 in black and by 1760 in underglaze blue. In the 1770s, there was a rapid growth in the area of blue transfer-printed wares. This object is decorated in the "Fence" pattern, the most popular of all the Worcester underglaze blue printed designs. It is decorated with a zigzagging fence, two birds in flight, flowers, and an island.
ProvenanceMrs. Charles R. Brown, Los Angeles, California; given to MFAH, 1970.

Exhibition History"The Voyage of Life," Houston Public Library, Jesse Jones (Central) Branch, February 1–27, 1994; Tuttle Branch, March 1–27, 1994; Heights Branch, March 29–April 24, 1994; Robinson-Westchase Branch, April 26–May 22, 1994; Smith Branch, May 24–June 19, 1994.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Marked on bottom: blue half moon

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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