JOHN & WM. RIDGWAYS ANTIQUE SOUP TUREEN AND PLATTER

This Museum Quality Georgian Soup Tureen & Matching Under Tray/Platter were manufactured by the very illustrious factory of two brothers in the Staffordshire District of Sheldon, England, namely John & William Ridgway. They were some of the major fore-running “fathers” of British pottery and porcelain at this time.

The measurement of the Tureen is 10 3/4" Height by 10 3/4" Diameter. From handle to handle it measures 13”; the Under Tray measures 13” Diameter. The opening of the tureen is 9 1/4" by 9 1/4" in diameter; 13” is the belly Diameter. The Soup Tureen and Under Tray are hexagonal in shape. The pattern is “Japan Flowers”. This shape is unique to this particular factory.

The tureen gracefully stands on six legs with exquisite floral embossing or relief that flares upward. The cover has a large English Rose finial; the tureen has very graceful elaborate handles with rose buds at each end. The cover and the rim of the tureen both have very attractive gadroon edges. The edge of the cover is detailed in a soft orange luster and gold gilding on the finial. The whole piece has a high glossy glaze.

This ensemble would have been manufactured between 1815-1830, according to research and illustrations. The identical soup tureen and under tray is illustrated on page 63, plate # 57 of Geoffrey A. Godden’s book entitled “RIDGWAY PORCELAINS”, Copyright 1972 by Barrie & Jenkins Ltd., London, England; and reissued copyright 1985 by the Antique Collector’s Club, Church Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk. The only difference is that the pattern is different.

The pattern of this tureen and platter/tray is called “Japan Flowers” which is stamped on the tureen and tray. In addition, it says “Stone China” with the painter’s number “1240” in red. Both the tureen and tray are hand painted in the Oriental flavor exhibiting bright colors of yellow, pink, red, blue and purple flowers with a beautiful butterfly in three panels interchanging with a floral spray in three panels with a large floral spray as the central theme on the platter. The soup tureen is decorated in the same fashion.

COMMENT: Such a gracious soup tureen is a feast for ones eyes! Such a magnificent piece as this can grace the best of dining rooms whether it sits on the dining table/sideboard or is displayed in an open hutch!

It Is truly a work of art and deserves a great home for viewing for years to come. Preservation is the key!

HISTORY OF STONE CHINA

This Stone China body was introduced to rival Mason’s “Patent Ironstone China” of 1813-1829. This stone china was certainly suitable for large dinner services, many of which were of great size containing two to three hundred pieces. These services were complete for the minimal of a place setting for twelve. Such a piece as this soup tureen and under tray would have been the crowning jewel to the set. To quote Mr. Godden “In general, these dinner services were decorated with broadly painted floral motifs, often with the Chinese flavor, being rather similar to the  eighteenth century “famille rose” patterns” (Pg.63), as such is the case with this tureen and under platter.

John and William Ridgway were in the race with renowned manufacturers of the time, such as Charles Mason, Spode, Hicks & Meigh and Davenport…just to name several of the preeminent potters of this time period. As the years went by each was in the race to outdo each other to attain the best ironstone china, after all, the world’s Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in London, England (1851) was nearing and each factory had to present their very best that they could possibly produce. Each factory used different ingredients to try to attain the best pottery body for their wares and for exhibition purposes to promote their wares. Each factory had different names for their ironstone namely: Opaque China, Imperial Stone China, Patent Ironstone China and New Stone China. This is just to name several. Basically, these ironstone wares were practically the same save for a few different ingredients and their amounts added during production.

The style and flavor for the decoration on this tureen may have originated from John and William Ridgway’s travels to the Orient in the early 1820’s in search of ingredients and clay compositions for pottery and porcelains. Such travels were common for these potters as they searched out foreign lands to gather business ideas, pottery techniques, designs, etc.

Considering the caliber of this renowned manufacturer, this Soup Tureen & Tray is rare and of museum quality, regardless of its minor chips here and there as therein described, and is most certainly worthy of a connoisseur private collection or a museum collection.

After all, it is approximately one hundred and seventy six to one hundred and ninety one years old, and has survived the ravages of time. Having been a “soup tureen” (an item that has had much usage) for so many years, attests to its durability and its presence with us today still in great tact.

CONDITION: (SOUP TUREEN) An absolutely wonderful paneled hexagonal shape soup tureen and under plate! It has an amazing glassy glaze, no glaze slips; no factory defects except for one very tiny kiln split or heat check that measures 1/4" in length on the interior of the bottom corner (illustrated in photo) which is not problematic for its user. There is absolutely no leakage due to this minute split. It most definitely can be used for its intended purpose. The cover has a minor inside chip… again looks much bigger in photo.

CONDITION: (UNDER TRAY/PLATTER) There are three under chips on the back side of the tray which look much larger in the photo than in actuality.

The chips look more serious than what they actually are due to the fact of a very old and poor quality restoration that has changed color over the years.
The minor chips can be professionally restored should one so desire. However, none of the chipping shows externally.