James Giles Decorated Worcester Cup c.1765-70

A Worcester porcelain cup in the Meissen style shape and with an apocryphal Meissen type mark.

Decorated with a print of ruins by Robert Hancock, which has been over painted in coloured enamels, possibly at the James Giles workshops in London.

An example is illustrated in "In Search of James Giles" by Gerald Coke, page 234 ill. (a)

English porcelain factories were pioneers in the use of printed images on ceramics.  Some of these Worcester examples are the earliest explorations into this technology.

Print was not considered a cheaper or mass produced version of a hand painted product, rather it has a novelty status all of its own.

Monochrome colours were used, sepia browns, black, blue and lilac or puce prints were explored and were very popular.

Some examples such as this were over-painted with coloured enamels.  These are a smaller and rarer group of porcelains and are highly desirable.

This print has a lot going on.  A ruin, a dog, an urn on  plinth, an obelisk in the distance and a couple standing in the foreground.   Everything has been put into this design.

Makers marks:
Worcester crossed swords and 9 mark.  Used betteen 1760-70

Dimensions:
Diameter at the rim 82mm height 50mm

Weight:
76g

Age:
250 years

Condition:
Very good: No chips cracks or restoration.  Minor wear to the enamels.  Gilding at the rim worn 

Maker:
Worcester, probably decorated at the James Giles workshop