Ite No. 763       

A massive and very rare Bow Shell centrepiece, the whole of the quadripartite levelled support applied and encrusted with shells and corals, all in vivid bright colours. The shells are backed onto simulated seaweeds and support on each of the four levels a scallop shell, the interiors of which are painted with sprays of carnations, poppies and honeysuckle, around which fly different insects, enclosed within a stylised floral border in the famille verte palette within a single iron red line rim, the exteriors washed over in puce carmine, surmounted by a similar circular shell for spice or ginger.

To our knowledge there is only one other similar massive Bow shell encrusted centrepiece that is recorded. This belonged to Raymond Yarborough and is now in the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The border decoration of the famille verte flowers is a very early sign at Bow and is also seen during the period before 1750 when pieces have a ‘mushroom’ coloured type of paste. However, this feature is recorded as decoration after 1750 and when looking at the tones of the botanically very correct carnations, a parallel with some of the botanical plates dating from circa 1755 can be reached, especially when looking at the treatment of the colouration of the leaves.

Height: 15ins. (38cms.)