Worcester Porcelain Barr, Flight & Barr Queen Charlotte Tea Cup, Saucer and Plate c1808

Description

Heading :  Worcester Porcelain Barr. Flight & Barr Queen Charlotte Tea Cup. Saucer and Plate c1808
Date : 1804-1813
Period : George III
Marks : Impressed BFB and crown to all three pieces
Origin : Worcester . England
Colour : Imari palette; puce. iron red. blue and gilding
Pattern :  Queen Charlotte

Condition : Excellent; a small flake off the gilding from the rim of the cup; a little dirt and/or kiln spit to the underside of the foot-strings and a thin smudge of puce enamel to the underside of the lip on the plate
Restoration None
Dimensions : The cup is 8.2 cm diameter. the saucer 13.9 cm and the plate 20.2 cm; their respective depth/heights are 6.2 cm. 3.1 cm and 3.6 cm
Weight : 482 grams in total

Notes : This distinctive pattern takes inspiration from Japanese Imari wares and it was a widely copied style both in Europe and China. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz first met the soon to be George III at the marriage altar and became Queen just two weeks later. We know that the royal couple visited the Worcester factory in 1788 and made purchases. but its is most likely that Worcester simply took the opportunity to use the name Queen Charlotte as a marketing ploy. Had the Queen herself inspired a design then surely it would be reasonable to expect a teutonic influence rather than something oriental. and almost certainly a design containing flora as she is known to have been a very keen botanist. Queen Charlotte was also always going to be a more memorable name than ‘abstract flowers’ or ‘fruit and berries’ – and thus the promotional artifice is seen to still be doing its job some 250 years later.

Reference. The Dictionary of Worcester Porcelain (H Sandon) p103