A very rare Samuel Gilbody libation cup with relief moulded decoration modelled after a Chinese blanc de chine rhinoceros horn form featuring a foliated rim with ribbed edges. Cosmic dragons appear in profile, claws raised at one other as a pine branch sways in the background. The other side features a combined motif of pine, deer, and flying crane symbolising longevity.
There is only one other Chinese inspired hexagonal beaker with moulded stylised Chinese inspired motifs that survives, recorded in a Private London collection. The paste and glaze exhibits the close silk-like soft glaze encountered on this rare class of English porcelain. In raking light an iridescence can also be viewed, pointing to the attribution of the enigmatic production of Samuel Gilbody at Shaws Brow.