A Chinese Slop Bowl, decorated in London, circa 1740-50
This Chinese slop bowl was originally decorated with a simple underglaze blue design, however, once it arrived in London, it was richly painted in famille rose colours with trailing flowers, including peonies, issuing from a fence. There is also a striped, semi-abstract motif, perhaps representing a scroll. The internal and outer borders are comprised of trellis and flower head designs.
The use of white, pink and blue enamel places this bowl firmly within the group of Chinese wares painted with ‘Limehouse Class’ decoration in the 1740s.
Condition: Two U-shaped sections have been out from the rim and neatly re-stuck. There are also two hairlines from the rim, and a small star crack to the side, along with the usual Chinese export potting and firing flaws to the body and paste.
Dimensions: Diameter 15 cm
The Early James Giles and his Contemporary London Decorators, Stephen Hanscombe (Stockspring Antiques Publications, 2008).
European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, 1700-1830, Helen Espir (Jorge Welsh Books, 2005).
The Watney Collection of Chinese Porcelain Decorated in Holland and England (Bonhams, 2003).