A fine set of THREE footed tea cups in the Broseley Willow pattern
by the well known Staffordshire porcelain manufacturer Miles Mason (English, 1752-1822),
Late Georgian Period, circa 1807-1813.
Exceedingly rare to find a set in this particular iteration and quantity.
These are decorated with a blue transfer-ware Asian landscape of pagodas, gardens, and a figure in a doorway, with elaborate gold gilt detail on the rim AND interior.
Condition: Light Wear to gold gilt on rims. Else, all EXCELLENT with very little crazing or stains, no chips, cracks, hairlines or restoration! There is a sticker on one that says Mason.
4.75 in.W x 2.25 in. H x 3.75 in. D/Diameter
Miles Mason (1752-1822) married an heiress; the daughter of Richard Farrar who had established a successful retail business selling imported Oriental porcelain at 131, Fenchurch St. London. Mason continued this business, but after 1791, when the East India Company ceased the bulk importation of Oriental porcelain, he began to manufacture his own wares.
Three short-lived partnerships followed, firstly around 1796-7 retailing ceramics with Green & Limpus in London, secondly manufacturing porcelain with Wolfe & Lucock in Liverpool and finally with Wolfe's brother George making pottery at Lane Delph (Fenton) in Staffordshire. The ceramic ventures were terminated in 1800 and by 1802 Mason had relinquished his retail business.
About 1800 Miles Mason began porcelain production on his own account at works in Lane Delph. A greyish hybrid hard-paste porcelain body was produced emulating the Oriental ceramics, which he had originally retailed so successfully. Miles Mason also utilised the newly discovered white bone china as his standard body during the early 1800's.
Mason focused porcelain production on tea, coffee and dessert services in these early years. Many services were transfer printed in underglaze blue with patterns in the Oriental style such as 'Broseley Willow'which was enhanced with a variety of gilded patterns.