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Home , Bone china, Chinese export porcelain, Famille rose

Armorials and the Chinese Export Story with Price Guide

Prices have remained stable for several years and it could be a good time to buy these unique antiques from a bygone age. Here is the story of how a combination of circumstances brought about their manufacture in the age of sail.By John

To explain the high profile and high prices ’Company decided to cease their bulk of armorial it will help to place imports. Chinese porcelain continued to be these wares in the historical context of the imported into London after 1791 but it was Chinese export trade to England in the limited to the ‘private trade’ allowances of eighteenth century. The catalyst was the tea the ship’s captain and crew. Following the trade. By the 1780s the Honourable East outbreak of war with France in 1793 which Company would import in one season caused considerable trading difficulties, up to twenty million pounds of tea. It was and the imposition of a war rate of tax in very light in weight and the ’Company about 1799, by 1801 the trade in Chinese considered export porcelain as vital cargo. porcelain dwindled to almost nothing. This Not only was it water resistant but heavy explains the number of English companies and could be used, stored beneath the tea as manufacturing the ‘hybrid’ hard paste in ballast, to make their vessels ‘seaworthy’. the 1790s, the stone of the early Again, the figures for the 1777/8 season nineteenth century and the blue and white only, showed the English East India pearlwares with their designs. Company imported nearly 350 tons of Armorial Designs Chinese porcelain as ballast. In the 1776 Such was the context into which the season 168,000 blue and white cups and armorials and special orders fit. Outside of saucers and 35,000 dinner plates were the bulk orders for blue and white and imported. The home market could neither , special orders were also taken supply the quantity or compete on price. to Canton for European designs. Orders One should consider also that at this time placed for full armorial dinner services English soft paste were hardly would be collected on a subsequent visit. as robust as the Chinese hard pastes and Wealthy families chose designs from this must have been a factor fuelling pattern books in London. Drawings of their demand. By this time Cookworthy at coats-of-arms would be faithfully copied Plymouth had developed a ‘hybrid’ hard by the Chinese. The costs for such bespoke paste but it was in its infancy and it would work were considerable. Because armorial take until the 1780s and 1790s for Newhall porcelain is rarer than the general export, it and other companies to produce hard paste is more expensive but not extraordinarily on a commercial scale. so considering its pedigree. In recent years However help was at hand for the home the market has been flat so it could be a trade. The dealers who bought the export good time to collect export porcelain or porcelain in bulk from the East India armorials if you can afford it. I have also Company, called ‘Chinamen’ because of included a price guide to armorials in the this practice, fell out with the ’Company. following pages. For comparative purposes Auctions were held twice a year. Following this includes a range of armorial types that an auction in 1787, the dealers were are not Chinese. In particular note the ten accused of forming a ‘combination’ or reproductions produced by Samson of Paris ‘ring’ and depressing the auction price by in the late nineteenth century. removing competition. Not only would the My thanks to Geoffery Godden’s book dealers gain by buying at a lower figure, which I include below. Geoffrey Godden is but all of the extra charges, including the acknowledged expert on the subject. government taxes, which were based on the Recommended Reading hammer prices, would also be reduced. The Oriental Export Market Porcelain, case went to court in a bitter dispute which Geoffrey Godden, 1979. was to drag on for about four years. The Starting to Collect Antique Porcelain, ’Company failed to make its case but in the John Sandon, 1997. end the battle was drawn when in December 1791, after a hundred years of trading in , the

ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 06 Ceramics

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Rare early English Delft Qianlong famille rose Chinese famille rose armorial dated 1653, Chinese famille rose armorial dish, c1760, feath- Samson armorial vase with octagonal armorial soup painted in blue, yellow and armorial porcelain part ered cartouche surmounted mask handles, 13in. (cracked) plate, c1755, centre with a ochre with the initial letters service, Qianlong period, by a bat and motto Gorringes, Lewes. Apr 01. floral spray below the arms P, M & A, 1653, 22.5cm. painted with coats of arms ‘Prudentia’ for Wakefield HP: £460. ABP: £541. of Grant within spearhead Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury. and motto ‘Fidus Ad impaling Christie, 28cm dia. 16 and sprig borders, 21.6cm. Nov 01. HP: £10,200. Ultimum’. (some pieces with Hamptons, Godalming. Nov Sworders, Stansted ABP: £11,997. faults) Rupert Toovey & Co, 01. HP: £620. ABP: £729. Washington, Sussex. Feb 03. Mountfitchet. Nov 05. HP: 2 HP: £1,100. ABP: £1,293. £380. ABP: £446. 11

Chien Lung armorial plate with the arms of Hussey and Seven various 18thC Chinese Jennings? within brown Belleek armorial tea service porcelain armorial coffee landscape border panels, 21 of ‘Echinus’ design, forms cups, damage, 7.5cm. (7) 9.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Apr moulded as sea urchins and 7 Sworders, Stansted 03. HP: £460. ABP: £541. coral, tray with crest and the Mountfitchet. Nov 05. HP: 17 motto ‘Per Mare Per Teras’ Italian polychrome albarello, £600. ABP: £705. Early Victorian armorial for the Alexander family of of cylindrical form painted 10-piece part Co. Armagh, first period with a reserve of a portrait of dessert service, incl. two marks. (10) Woolley & a lady with in a shell covered and serving Wallis, Salisbury. Sep 02. bordered cartouche, reverse dish with gilded yellow and HP: £5,200. ABP: £6,116. dated 1775, 24cm high, with royal blue borders (tureens another waisted example 12 Chinese armorial restored) Gorringes, Lewes. painted with an armorial Apr 03. HP: £360. ABP: £423. Pair of 18thC Chinese stand, oval form with pierced surmounted by a crown and armorial plates, painted with rim enamelled with the arms flanked by cherubs, reverse 22 central bearings, the borders of Baron Mulgrave Phipps, dated 17?2. (2) Rosebery’s, with Chinese vignettes in swag and ribbon tied inner London. Dec 04. HP: £1,050. peach enamel against a border, 27.5cm long, ABP: £1,235. gilded diaper ground, 9.5in. Qianlong. Bearne’s, Exeter. 3 Jun 05. HP: £440. ABP: £517. Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 05. Pair of 19thC Samson Antique Chinese armorial HP: £550. ABP: £646. porcelain armorial chargers. oval soup tureen, 35cm, with W & H Peacock, Bedford. cover and stand, 39cm, crest 13 Jan 03. HP: £340. ABP: £399. of three suns, made for 18 Pierson family. Stride & Son, Chichester. Jul 03. HP: 8 £4,000. ABP: £4,705. 18thC Canton famille rose 4 export porcelain bowl with Chinese porcelain barrel armorial decoration, marked shaped tankard with twin 23 Wilkes & Liberty, 10in. (f moulded loop handle, and r) Denhams, Warnham, 19thC Sèvres coffee set, gilt Pair of 19thC Chamberlains enamelled in colours with Sussex. Jul 05. HP: £1,050. with Napoleonic bees and Worcester silver shape armorials over the letters N armorial, bead/swag pattern armorial plates, latin motto. 18thC Chinese ‘Armorial’ ABP: £1,235. and J: 8 coffee cans/saucers, borders, 6.5in high, Qian- (some crazing) porcelain part tea service, 9 milk jug, sucrier, coffee pot long period, cracked. Locke & England, enamelled in ‘Famille Rose’ and cover. (20) Cheffins, Canterbury Auc. Galleries, Leamington Spa. Sep 03. colours with quartered Cambridge. Feb 05. HP: Kent. Apr 05. HP: £420. HP: £340. ABP: £399. armorials surmounted by an £500. ABP: £588. ABP: £494. arm holding a sword and worded ‘Pour Mon Dieu’. 14 24 (10 pieces) Canterbury Auction Galleries, Kent. Jun 00. HP: £3,400. ABP: £3,999. 19 5 19thC Armorial part Late 18thC Chinese Export tea/coffee service, gilt design ivory glazed porcelain Early 20thC Samson on white ground, with some pedestal cup/cover with ‘Chinese armorial’ dessert Copeland & Garrett replace- opposing, entwined handles, service painted with arms ments consisting of milk jug, 19thC Spanish lidded kylin finial, decorated with related to the Jerningham 6 teacups, 6 coffee cups, 16 baluster vase painted with a Delft ‘Gardeners Arms’ armorial devices and other family within flowers: two saucers and cake plate, black Nelson memorial armorial armorial plate, dated 1747, ornament, 10.5in high. round tazze, two oval tazze, 2 script mark, some damage. with motto Junta in uno tiva. probably Liverpool. Peter Amersham Auction Rooms, square dishes & 11 plates. Tring Market Auctions, Gorringes, Lewes. Dec 00. Wilson, Nantwich. Feb 03. Bucks. Jun 02. HP: £920. (17) Cheffins, Cambridge. Herts. May 02. HP: £380. HP: £300. ABP: £352. HP: £2,700. ABP: £3,175. ABP: £1,082. Apr 05. HP: £500. ABP: £588. ABP: £446. ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 06 Ceramics

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18thC Chinese porcelain armorial plate and 2 famille Yung Cheng plate, with the ‘Capodimonte’ cabinet plate rose plates, 23cm. Sworders, 18thC Chinese blue/white arms of Way impaling Page, late 19thC, centre with an Stansted Mountfitchet. Nov footed punch bowl painted armorial shield in thick Two late 19thC Samson armorial of three flaming 05. HP: £300. ABP: £352. with lake landscape enamels within set-pattern ‘Chinese armorial’ plates bottles, with gilded foliate borders, (cracked) 9in. 26 (chipped) 12in, and an 18thC painted in colourful Chinese scroll surround, the border armorial dish, 8in and a Gorringes, Lewes. Mar 03. export style, 24.5cm. (2) with raised classical figure warming dish, 10in. (a.f.) HP: £180. ABP: £211. Cheffins, Cambridge. Apr 05. decoration, blue crowned n Gorringes, Bexhill. Mar 02. HP: £80. ABP: £94. mark, 23cm. Hampton & HP: £220. ABP: £258. Littlewood, Exeter. Jul 04. 41 HP: £74. ABP: £87. Flight & Barr Worcester 31 armorial teacup and saucer, 36 46 enamelled with a peacock crest within roundel and gilded against a peach 18thC Oriental armorial ground, rare script mark bowl, painted with the coat ‘Manufacturers to their of arms for Hanbury with Graded set of three Samson Comyn in Pretence, 4.5in ‘Chinese armorial’ mugs Majesties and Royal Family’, 18thC Chinese export dia. (s/f) Dee, Atkinson & with another mug, each saucer glue-repaired, 1792- armorial teapot, bearing the Harrison, Driffield. Nov 05. painted with armorial Circular Samson famille rose 1807. Gorringes, Lewes. Jan arms of the Lennard family, HP: £180. ABP: £211. between gilt blue bands and armorial plate, the central 04. HP: £280. ABP: £329. 6.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Jul coloured flowers, tallest coat of arms surrounded by 00. HP: £220. ABP: £258. floral sprigs, 11in. 27 14.5cm high. (D) (4) 37 Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 00. 32 Cheffins, Cambridge. Apr 05. HP: £80. ABP: £94. HP: £65. ABP: £76.

Early 19thC Chinese 42 armorial export porcelain Collection of three Chinese mug decorated with the Set of three Chinese armorial Five Samson ‘Chinese coffee cups, one painted with Snodgrass coat of arms, 5in. soup plates and other armorial’ wares painted with exotic birds and flowers, one (restored) and another mug. armorial dishes. Gorringes, various armorials within with figures looking out to (a.f.) Gorringes, Bexhill. Bexhill On Sea. Dec 04. HP: flowers and gilt blue bands: sea, and one armorial. Tring Mar 02. HP: £260. ABP: £305. £210. ABP: £247. two vases 19cm high, a tea Market Auctions, Herts. Jul 47 caddy and cover 12.5cm high 04. HP: £80. ABP: £94. 28 33 and a tea pot and cover. 19thC Italian maiolica two- Cheffins, Cambridge. Apr 05. handled vase decorated with HP: £150. ABP: £176. armorial cartouche and serpent handles, 9in. Gorringes, Bexhill. Mar 02. HP: £60. ABP: £70.

38 48 Set of six Victorian Daniel, Chamberlains Worcester Samson Chinese armorial London armorial dessert porcelain armorial plate, vase with fixed plates with central painted shaped gadrooned rim 43 mounted cover, shishi finial crests and motto with puce painted with flowers on a and floral decoration, 12.5in. and gilt floral borders, 18thC English armorial green ground, gilt embel- Gorringes, Lewes. Mar 01. 26.5cm. Reeman Dansie, porcelain baluster mug, three lishment, 10.25in wide. HP: £220. ABP: £258. Colchester. Apr 06. HP: greyhounds within puce Samson armorial tea caddy Andrew Hartley, Ilkley. Feb £120. ABP: £141. scroll cartouche, bird crest, and cover, 4.25in. Gorringes, 01. HP: £200. ABP: £235. c1770, damaged, partially Lewes. Oct 00. HP: £50. glue-repaired, 4.25in. ABP: £58. Gorringes, Lewes. Jul 03. HP: £75. ABP: £88. 29 34 39 Pair of Chinese porcelain Set of 5 Worcester armorial armorial sauce boats, late 44 49 plates, 3rd qtr 19thC, painted 18thC, each painted with an with the armorial of the City Mid 18thC Chinese export Samson of Paris armorial armorial in the interior base, Two armorial plates, French, of London, gilt jewelled famille rose punch bowl with bowl, decorated with within blue lattice work and late 19thC, each centrally cerise border, retails marked floral decoration and late armorial shields, border with lambrequin borders, 18.5 - decorated with armorial for Henry Green, Regent St , 18thC armorial punch bowl. swags and garlands on a 20cm. Sworders, Stansted emblem within floral scroll London, 26cm dia. (2) (both distressed) Reeman white ground, 10in. Mountfitchet. Nov 04. HP: gilt borders. 24cm. Rosebery’s, London. Dec 04. Dansie, Colchester. Apr 06. Gorringes, Lewes. Jan 04. £200. ABP: £235. Rosebery’s, London. Apr 05. HP: £220. ABP: £258. HP: £110. ABP: £129. HP: £75. ABP: £88. HP: £30. ABP: £35. ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 06