Description
This is a very rare, fine quality ironstone Wine or Fruit Cooler with two side handles, all beautifully hand painted, made by Mason's, of Lane Delph, Staffordshire, England, circa 1815-1820.
This piece is substantial and heavily potted, weighing about 2.5 Kg un-packed..
The handles are very strongly potted and this piece is quite suitable for its original use on todays dining table.
The piece is all richly hand decorated on a deep mazarine blue ground, with a central bird, butterflies and flowers, which have all been richly hand-decorated, over-glaze in pastel shade enamels and with much gold (gilt) detail as per the images. There is additional gilded detail to the rims and handles.
This is a rare shape and pattern and is known as the: Gold Posies, enamelled Birds and Butterflies, as illustrated on a similar Wine Cooler on Page 215 of the book Mason's China and The Ironstone Wares, by Geoffrey Godden, published by The Antique Collectors Club.
The piece is fully marked to the base with the double line impressed mark "MASON's PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA", which is one of the earliest recorded marks dating the piece to 1815-1820.
This piece would make an ideal Table Centrepiece with many possible uses for a a floral display, jardiniere or its original use as required.
Internal Ref: P 1844
 
Dimensions
Height = 17.4 cm (6.9")
Width = 22.2 cm (8.7")
Depth = 22.2 cm (8.7")