A Lowestoft Basket, circa 1775-85
This large Lowestoft oval basket, with double twisted handles and applied rosettes on the outside of the basket-work sides, is copied directly from Worcester. The Pinecone pattern as well as the crescent mark both imitate that factory, although Worcester would have always used printed hatched crescent marks in conjunction with a printed pattern, whereas the mark on this Lowestoft example is a painted open crescent. The handles are picked out in underglaze blue, as are the leaves, flowers and buds at the handle terminals. The basket-work interior is also painted with ornate border designs incorporating trellis, scrolls and flower heads.
Painted crescent mark.
Condition: One small section of basket-work is missing from the rim, and there is a fine 0.7 cm hairline to another section, also at the rim. Other than that, the condition is remarkably good. The tiny stamens are lacking from two flowers at the handle terminal, and there are one or two minute losses to the edges of petals. No other damage. The Lowestoft paste and glaze shows typical characteristics, such as minute clay tears and pooled glaze.
Dimensions: Length (across handles) 27.6 cm; Height (to top of handles) 10.9 cm
The Illustrated Guide to Lowestoft Porcelain, Geoffrey A. Godden (Praeger, 1969).
Lowestoft Porcelain in Norwich Castle Museum, Volume 1, Sheenah Smith (Norfolk Museums Service, 1975).
Godden’s Guide to Blue and White Porcelain, Geoffrey A. Godden (Antique Collectors’ Club, 2004).