An extremely rare and very early First Period Dr Wall Worcester Pedestal Sauceboat of the smallest size, of silver shape moulded in raised crisp low relief with panels of scrollwork and foliage on one side enclosing a strutting Crane bird amongst flowering prunus and blue rocks, the other side with an extremely rare seated Chinese archer beneath a willow tree, with bow and arrow, facing a multicoloured array of rocks and flowering plants. The interior and underneath the spout with a border and full spray of flowering oriental plants.

The form is inspired and suggested by silver forms and was first produced at Lund’s Bristol in circa 1748 and endured for a further 7 years and into the production at Worcester after the move and acquisition of the Lund’s Bristol concern in 1751/52. This is the smallest of three sizes of sauceboat produced at Worcester in the very earliest of the years, known and described in the London warehouse as ‘Sauceboats high footed 1st 2nd and 3rd’. They were priced at 5 shillings a pair when a silver pair would cost eight guineas. The enamel colours are of the highest quality and any enamel work at this early date was carried out by experienced enamellers recruited by Dr. Wall and the partners from outside decorating enamel works from either South Staffordshire, Birmingham or London at Battersea. Essentially this type of mixed palette of famille verte and famille rose is loosely inspired by the Indianishe blumen designs from Meissen that evoke the European vision of Cathay. The sauceboat is press moulded from two moulds and therefore sometimes one sees two differing patterns of moulding.