A rare and early Dr Wall Worcester Rococo Moulded Teabowl and Saucer, Circa 1754

An extremely rare and very early Worcester Rococo Moulded Teabowl and Saucer, of egg shell thinness, moulded with pleats and rococo scrolled mirror shaped panels issuing with trailing sprays of leaves and flowers moulded in crist low relief, painted in the famille rose palette with beautifully plumaged birds perched on sprays of flowering prunus and peonies, the smaller oval panels containing sprigs of iron red flowers with blue green trailing strap leaves. Each piece painted with a fine puce pencilled border of interlocking scrolls.

Worcester teabowls and saucers of the early to middle 1750’s far excelled those of any other manufactory. The egg shell thinness is unequalled on this particular specimen making it one of the finest examples of this rare type to be recorded. It is quite clear why the Worcester manufactory, with its greater resistance to the thermal effects of water, became pre eminent in the production of tea services.The bird and floral elements of this particular pattern have their root in the transference of a chinese style through Meissen and the added puce border is a European refinement to this original Chinese idiom. This ‘panelled’ moulded decoration as described in the Manufactory’s London Warehouse price card, was in production from 1754-57 only.