Period: Regency
Maker: James & Ralph Clews
This delightful Empire-shape teacup and saucer by James and Ralph Clews is hand-painted with scenes of rural women walking with bags in their hands. The elaborately decorated border is in the Clews ‘841 pattern.’ Condition is excellent.
James and Ralph Clews were active for less than two decades, from about 1815 to 1834, at a pottery in Cobridge, a village in what is now Stoke-on-Trent. Their porcelain production was even shorter, from about 1821 to 1825.
The Clews brothers specialized in blue transfer-printed earthenware, and served mainly the American and Russian markets, styling themselves ‘Potters to her Imperial Majesty, the Empress of all the Russians.’ Popular subjects were ‘Zoological Gardens,’ ‘American Views’ and their ‘Doctor Syntax’ series.
Clews porcelains are much less well known, probably because they were unmarked. Many are in their 841 pattern, similar versions of which appear on 19th Century porcelains of many other British makers. The 841 pattern’s basic elements, according to Michael Berthoud, are “a deeply scalloped blue border containing roughly rectangular yellow panels containing a gilt flower or anthemion.” There is also a ‘melting’ inner edge.
The 841 pattern and its imitators tend to have painted scenes in the centre. These may be rustic figures, scenes from Dr. Syntax or Don Quixote, or occasionally, with some other factories, sprays of enamelled flowers instead of figures.
Condition Excellent. A few tiny spots of gilt rubbing but only visible on close inspection.
Cup height: 6.7 cm; rim diameter: 10.1 cm; width, including handle: 11.3 cm
Saucer diameter: 14.7 cm
Weight: 274g
Medium: Bone china (porcelain)
Origin: Stoke-on-Trent, England
