saucer
- Museum number
- 1934,0722.8.CR
- Description
-
Saucer; porcelain; whorl pattern in blue, white and red; arms of Merton College, Oxford; mark in blue.
- Production date
- 1770 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 13.80 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Text from Dawson 2007:
A matching tea bowl with the same arms inside is in the Marshall Collection, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, but no other pieces are known. The tea bowl, which bears the collection label of M.H. Stieglitz as well as that of H.R. Marshall, is painted on the base with a fretted square painted in underglaze blue and a small crescent in orange-red. It was apparently acquired by Marshall (1891-1959) after the publication of his work on Worcester armorial porcelain in 1946. On the British Museum saucer the small circle on the front, which encloses the coat of arms, and a larger circle around the footring on the base are poorly drawn, an unusual feature since most Worcester is precisely decorated. The gilding on the rim and the coat of arms is rubbed, and the rim has been restored.
The pattern, which is based on one used on Japanese Imari porcelain dating from the late seventeenth century, was in production at Worcester from the late 1750s until around 1840. It became known from the mid-nineteenth century as the 'Queen Charlotte' pattern, although there is no evidence that Queen Charlotte ever ordered a service with this decoration. It has been suggested that it may be the pattern described as 'fine old scrole japan' on a breakfast set sold at auction in 1769.
The arms are close to those of Merton College, Oxford, but the chevrons have been rendered in different colours. There is at least one recorded instance when the college arms were reversed, as in a coat of arms in a window of the hall, now missing. The most likely explanation is that a mistake was made by the decorator of the saucer, as on pieces bearing the arms of Wilson impaling Langton (see no 62), where the arms have alson been incorrectly shown. The saucer has long been associated with Dr Wall, a Fellow of Merton from 1734 until at least 1740; his son John was also a Fellow of the college. It is therefore possible that that either father or son presented a tea service to the college, or that the college ordered a service from the factory. However, there is at present no proof of any such connection with Dr Wall or his son.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Rim has restoration
- Acquisition date
- 1934
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1934,0722.8.CR