Large Hand Coloured Davenport Tureen

This large and very decorative Davenport lidded soup tureen is decorated with a hand coloured and gilded Imari pattern-Davenport's pattern number 76. The pattern features stylised flowers and berries done in the traditional Imari colours of underglaze blue, iron red and gilding, with the addition of green and purple. It stands 275 mm (10.75 inches) high , is an imposing 385 mm (15.25 inches) in width and 260 mm (10.25 inches) deep. It weighs a hefty 3.2 kg (7 lbs). There is only some very slight loss of the gilding to detract from it and a thin, shallow firing crack that runs inside the tureen for about 70 mm (2.75 inches). It would date from around 1820.