SOLD-Rare Worcester Imari Plate 1780

Description

Rare Worcester Imari Plate 1780

Lotus flowers and cherry blossom with a central vase of flowers .  Painted in an imari style and palette with red enamel and in overglaze blue and gilt detailing.

The decoration of this plate has for many years been attributed to the Giles atelier. In recent years this has been disputed. quite rightfully. on the grounds that the pattern does not exhibit any of Giles tell tale signature motifs or decorative styles.

Dictionary of Worcester Porcelain. J Sandon p. 206. “Copied directly from an early 18th century Japanese imari original. The overglaze blue enamel used of necessity by the outside decorator of this plate lacks the depth of the underglaze blue used on the original and on factory decorated copies. It is thus rather less convincing as a copy but the skill and accuracy of the painter is still evident. The decoration may have been applied in the workshops of James Giles although. as an exact copy of a Japanese original. it exhibits none of the distinctive Giles features”

Several examples are known and unless the owners of the original service used to entertain themselves spinning plates after dinner the replacement argument does not pass the “make sense test”. Additions to an extensive service is more plausible. however. the plates being manufactured and decorated to sell  makes commercial sense and passes the “make sense test” . These have worked their way into many of the finest collections including Zorensky. if memory serves me well.

There is a 6m firing crack in the rim that is underglaze. It is 8 7/8th inches diameter ( 22.5cms).