An Armorial Chinese Plate, decorated in the James Giles studio, circa 1755-60
This Chinese plate was decorated in the London workshop of James Giles. In addition to a large bouquet of Giles ‘Type B’ flowers, sprigs and insects, including a butterfly with outstretched wings, there are scattered pairs of cherries, parsnips and pea pods. The plate bears the armorial crest of an eagle’s head, and the outer edge of the plate is decorated with an elaborate gilt border.
The gilt border relates to the Grubbe plate 1 border in The Early James Giles and his Contemporary London Decorators (Hanscombe), p.37.
Hanscombe also illustrates a pair of plates from the same service, p.104. The crest (an eagle’s head erased proper) has not been identified, and the service is described by Hanscombe as hitherto unrecorded.
We also have another plate from this armorial service, this time decorated in the Giles workshop between 1765-70.
Provenance: An American Private Collection.
Condition: No cracks or restoration. There is some surface and stacking wear to the enamels, most noticeably to the butterfly and the smaller spray of purple flowers. Much of the gilt border is rubbed, as is the gilt line rim. There are two chips to the rim, the smaller one actually being more of a glance to the brown rim (where the gilding has worn), and can barely be felt. There are the usual minor pinholes and manufacturing irregularities associated with export porcelain.
Dimensions: Diameter 23 cm
In Search of James Giles, Gerald Coke (Micawber Publications, 1983).
James Giles, China and Glass Painter, Stephen Hanscombe (Stockspring Antiques Publications, 2005).
The Early James Giles and his Contemporary London Decorators, Stephen Hanscombe (Stockspring Antiques Publications, 2008).
The Stephen Hanscombe Collection: James Giles and his Contemporary Decorators, (Stockspring Antiques Publications, 2014).