An extremely rare Chelsea Porcelain Coloured Shell and Coral Encrusted Scallop Shell Salt, of the Incised Triangle Period of Manufacture. Beautifully modelled with a very high degree of natural accuracy, by Nicholas Sprimont or one of his highly skilled modellers, in the form of a Scallop Shell,  raised up on a network of layered coral branches further encrusted with cast small English estuary shells and applied with sieved clay simulated seaweeds, all picked out in full naturalistic colours in the London workshop of William Duesbury in tones of iron red, sea green, grey, blue and brown with puce detailing, the interior painted with a colourful shell amongst aquatic weeds, a further similar marine spray to the exterior.

Marine themes, so popular in rococo silver find the perfect expression in this rare Chelsea porcelain shell salt. The design is based on a shell from encrusted with further shells and corals from an original design for silversmiths by Jules Aurele Meissonier, Orfevre de Roi Louis V, engraved by Gabriel Huquier. The plate, from Huquier’s source book of designs, ’Livres d’Ornements’, published in London in 1744, entitled ‘dessins pour Salieres’, or ‘designs for Salts’.

See Paul Crane, ‘A Question of Attribution’, ECC Transactions Vol 27, 2016, pl 16 p. 42, for Meissonier’s engraved source print and for a detailed discussion on the translation of the Marine themed silver rococo designs into Early English porcelain. Examples decorated in colours are hugely rare. 

See John Austin, ‘Chelsea Porcelain at Colonial Williamsburg.’ p 28, fig 10 for a pair of coloured salts of similar form. Another example from a celebrated Australian Collection is illustrated by Margaret Legge, ‘Flowers and Fables’, p 26, fig6.

Provenance:  Private Collection

Marks:  Incised triangle mark to the underside of the base.