Date: Circa 1842
Period: Early Victorian
Maker: John Ridgway (& Co.)
The gorgeous adornment of this John Ridgway cup and saucer tells of the taste for opulent luxury in mid-19th Century Britain, as a new class enriched by the Industrial Revolution and the growth of empire flaunted its wealth. The centre of the saucer and bottom of the cup are painted with bouquets of flowers. These reserves are surrounded by swirling acanthus leaves in a lemon ground picked out in gilt. There are four cartouches, also of lemon ground, in a richly gilded dark blue border. The outside of the cup is attractively gilded around a central lemon band and the elegant handle incorporates a moulded leaf.
The cup and saucer were retailed by Joseph Green & Sons which had a large London shop at St. Paul’s Churchyard between 1834 and 1842. The bottom of the saucer bears a printed image in purple of St. Paul’s Cathedral with ‘Josh. Green & Sons/11 St Paul’s Ch. Yd/London’ underneath in cursive script. The bottom of the cup bears the words only. According to Geoffrey Godden, ‘& Sons’ only appeared with the St. Paul’s printed mark of Joseph Green in the years 1841 and 1842.
The painted pattern number, 2/5423, helps to identify the maker as John Ridgway, along with the shape of the handle. The pattern number corresponds with 1842 as likely date of manufacture.
Condition Almost perfect; probably kept in a cabinet and never used. Close inspection reveals a few tiny spots of rubbed gilding.
Teacup Height 5.9 cm; Diameter: 10.1 cm; Width, with handle: 12 cm Saucer Diameter: 14.1 cm
Weight: 264 g
Origin: Stoke-on-Trent, England
Medium: Bone china (porcelain)
See Ridgway pottery at Cauldon Place in Makers & Artists for background on the factory.
