A John Rose Coalport Porcelain Plate decorated by Thomas Brentnall

A John Rose Coalport Porcelain Plate c.1820. The moulded border with six double-barred scrolls between festoons and clusters of flowers in low relied, with cobalt blue ground. The central well of the plate is very finely painted with a bouquet of flowers decorated by Thomas Brentnall. 

Impressed numerable to the base which is indecipherable 

Condition: Good with just some light surface wear from use

The beauty of the flower painting and relief moulding on this Coalport plate from 1820-25 rivals that of William Billingsley’s renowned Nantgarw factory in Wales. Billingsley joined Coalport in around 1820 and the bold floral painting on this plate clearly shows the influence of Billingsley during this period. 

In his book Coalport 1795-1926, Michael Messenger notes how some of the finer Nantgarw porcelains have moulded designs incorporating six elongated scrolls or “arches” and ‘similarly some of the best painting on Coalport of the same period appeared on plates of this same general type.’ 

Coalport’s version has six double-barred scrolls between festoons and clusters of flowers in low relief. The two pink roses have a delicate colouring worthy of Billingsley.

Finely decorated Coalport dessert plates with this ‘linked double-scroll moulding’ were popular among wealthy buyers and Messenger is surprised at the paucity of references in the Coalport pattern books. He speculates that such plates were either specially commissioned, or independent decorators employed.

John Rose’s new feldspar glaze and body contributed to the high quality of many Coalport porcelains in the 1820s, which Messenger writes were ‘notable for the freshness, vigour and confidence of the decoration.’