Chelsea c.1744 - 1769
A Brief History of Chelsea Porcelain
(Further more detailed pages will be added about each factory over time).
Chelsea porcelain c.1744 - 1769:
The Chelsea factory was established in circa 1744 by Nicholas Sprimont, a Huguenot silversmith from London. The Chelsea factory produced a glassy frit based porcelain, with items being produced in contemporary silver shapes, an obvious influence of Sprimonts trade.
Chelsea porcelain was aimed at the upper end of the market, so rather than produce imitations of the more common Chinese porcelains, Chelsea produced mainly polychrome enamelled porcelain decorated with European inspired patterns, such as Deutsche Blumen, or their famous Aesops fables wares decorated by Jeffreys Hamett O'Neill.
Chelsea porcelain has been widely collected since the 19th Century in recognition of its quality.
There are 4 main periods of production from Chelsea. The incised triangle period ran from c.1744-1749, wares produced during this phase were mainly blanc de chine, or "in the white" with no painted decoration applied. Typical examples would be crayfish salts, and the famous "goat & bee" jugs which were copied from silver shapes. The "incised triangle" refers to the incised mark applied to the underside.
The raised anchor period ran from c.1749 to 1752, the name coming from a small applied pad which bears the emblem of an anchor. During this phase the influence of Meissen came to the fore in the decoration, with Italian harbour scenes, and the Aesops fables stories used. Chelsea also produced figures of animals and birds during this period.
During the red anchor period c.1752-1756, the influence in decoration is from the Japanese Kakiemon patterns which were also influencing the output from Germany & France. During this period Chelsea also produced beautiful botanical patterns, based on the illustrations from Philip Miller's Gardeners Dictionary. The flowers in this book having been sketched at the botanic gardens of Sir Hans Sloane, the resulting patterns becoming known as Hans Sloane flowers. The "red anchor" refers to the factory mark of a small painted red anchor to the underside of the porcelain.
Finally there is the gold anchor period c.1756-1769, so named because of a small painted gold anchor factory mark. During this period the porcelain body is changed, it is common to find gold anchor Chelsea with wide crazing to the glaze, and the decoration is very rococo, strongly influenced by the French taste. Chelsea were famous for their toys consisting of scent bottles, étuis, and small seals, etc, often with French inscriptions (see also the Girl in a Swing factory), and for their wares decorated in mazarine blue, a rich blue colour in imitation of Sèvres gros bleu, overlaid with opulent gilding.
In 1769 the factory was purchased by James Cox, and then sold again shortly after to William Duesbury, proprietor of the Derby factory, the resulting pieces being referred to as "Chelsea-Derby." From this point pieces were still made at Chelsea, but were often decorated at Derby, until in 1784 the Chelsea factory was closed and production absorbed into the Derby factory.
Opinion remains divided over the source & date of "A" Class porcelain.
| 