Worcester Porcelain Basket Leaf Dishes - A Pair

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Strawberry Riches: A Pair of Worcester Leaf Serving Dishes

This pair of First Period Worcester Porcelain Leaf Dishes dates to … Read more Strawberry Riches: A Pair of Worcester Leaf Serving Dishes

This pair of First Period Worcester Porcelain Leaf Dishes dates to circa 1758–60, placing them within the factory's celebrated Dr. Wall Period. The rococo design is a stunning example of Worcester's direct imitation and adaptation of fashionable European prototypes, specifically a known original from the Meissen factory.

Each dish is expertly moulded in an asymmetrical oval shape, featuring prominent, high-relief strawberry leaf and stem handles finished in a vibrant, naturalistic green enamel. A light yellowish-pink enamel line traces the molded veins in the leaves. The body of the dish is bordered by an elaborate pierced lattice rim, molded to simulate fine basketwork. The white porcelain reserves within this pierced border are delicately hand-painted with small, polychrome flower heads and sprigs, a signature motif of the period.

The combination of naturalistic molding, intricate piercing, and colorful floral painting perfectly encapsulates the Rococo style favored by the Georgian elite. Each dish measures a significant 11 7/8 inches (30 cm) in length, making them large and impressive serving pieces for a dessert or sweetmeat course. They are a testament to the high quality of soft-paste porcelain and decoration achieved by the Worcester factory in its early years.

Historical Context: Rococo and Imitation in Early Worcester

The period between 1758 and 1760 was crucial for the Worcester factory. Having established a consistent and technically sound soft-paste porcelain body, the factory focused heavily on developing designs that would compete directly with the dominant European porcelain houses, particularly the Royal Saxon Factory at Meissen.

The Meissen Influence: The leaf-shaped dish, with its modeled fruit or vegetable motif and intricate pierced rim, originated at Meissen around the 1740s. Worcester, like many English and Continental factories, openly copied successful forms from Meissen (and sometimes Chelsea) to satisfy the burgeoning English appetite for fashionable Rococo wares. These pieces were highly valued for their trompe-l'œil effect, blurring the line between nature, utility, and decorative art.

Technique and Style:

The use of both molding (for the basketwork and leaf handles) and detailed polychrome enamel painting on the reserves demonstrates the sophisticated division of labor and artistic skill at Worcester. The vibrant palette, featuring rich green on the leaves and bright colors on the scattered flower sprigs, is typical of the factory's finest polychrome work from this era. Such large, intricately-molded dishes would have been a high-status part of a grand Georgian dessert service.

Reference
The Dictionary of Worcester Porcelain, Volume I, 1751-1851 by John Sandon, Pages 366-367. This reference provides a color illustration (Plate 98) of a similar dish, noting a yellow ground example, confirming the shape and design's attribution to First Period Worcester.

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