A beautiful pair of early Victorian porcelain serving dishes richly decorated in a clouded celestial cobalt blue ground with hand-painted enamel florals over transfer-printed outlines and raised gilt scrollwork. Dating to around 1830s, these pieces are in the Coalport tradition, with red enamel pattern numbers to the reverse.
Each dish features transfer-printed outline cartouches which were then finished by hand using colourful overglaze enamels — a classic early 19th-century technique used by high-end English factories. The cobalt blue is hand-applied, giving the border its distinctive mottled, sky-like texture. The raised gilding has been applied by hand and shows the natural soft wear expected of genuine antique porcelain.
These dishes would originally have been part of an elegant Victorian dinner or dessert service and used for serving vegetables, stewed fruits, puddings, or side dishes. Today they make wonderful decorative display pieces, or can be used as unique serveware.
DETAILS
• English porcelain, c.1835–1855 • In the style of Coalport; red enamel pattern numbers present • Hand-painted enamel floral bouquets • Clouded hand-applied cobalt ground • Raised and hand-applied gilt scrollwork • Twin-handled shaped serving dishes • Each approximately 20 cm • Pattern and painter’s marks vary slightly (typical of hand finishing)
Condition: Good antique condition with expected age-related wear. Some loss to cobalt enamelling and gilding, as shown in photos and typical for this type. No cracks or structural damage visible.
