First Period Worcester Porcelain Large Scale Blue Basket c.1770

Attractive large first period Worcester round, shallow basket, c.1770. The centre of the bowl decorated with a scale blue ground with white "vase and mirror" reserves painted with Japanese style flowers and foliage in iron red, yellow and green. The walls have pierced decoration based on circular shapes and are white with hanging red flowers and green foliage. The scale blue decoration is further used around the inside of the scalloped rim and small horizontals half way down the walls. Iron red bands frame the central decoration and rim. The handles are formed as naturalistic twigs. 

Outside, moulded pink daisy flowers with green centres are dotted at all the joins and yellow and orange flowers and leaves are set at the handle terminals. 

It is marked to the base with the fretted square mark.

It measures 25.5cm (10") wide across the handles, 23cm (9") rim to rim and 7.5cm (3") high to the handles. 

Condition is very good: there is a small section of very well executed restoration to the basket work to right of one of the handles and there is a small associated and stabilised hairline across the bottom one of the straps at the base of this area. No other damage or restoration. Some light surface wear appropriate for age, and for completeness be aware there are a few small firing lines between the piercings and an original missing band of glaze around a section of the footrim.