Highly Decorative Welsh Gaudy Chinoiserie Mug Exploding with Colour

THE STORY - When I was recently in one of my favourite Antique Shops in my home county of Kent my eyes fell upon this joyful little mug sitting on a shelf at the back of the shop. Although small it exploded with colour from the wonderful cobalt blue background to the purple chinoiserie transfer prints to that shield shaped orange block and the copper lustre patterns framing everything. For one little mug there was an awful lot going on. The mug dates I believe to the middle of the 1800s and the style of the pottery is termed Gaudy Welsh, indeed there were two important Welsh potteries producing it but it was also made in Staffordshire and I believe Sunderland. The pattern on the mug is known as The Chinoiserie Pattern and on one side the transfer print shows a young boy in a garden with his hand out as if about to feed something and on either side of him are the most wonderful flowers, on the other side the illustration shows what looks like an elderly gentleman who along with possibly his servant are feeding two birds in their garden. Gaudy Welsh pottery was I believe produced both at affordable prices and in large quantities and in some ways I think this can be seen in this little mug, with the imprecise way the hand painted colouring of the transfer decorations has been applied and the way the the cobalt blue paint touches the white unpainted handle but for me that just enhances its charm. And I just adore that burnt orange shield and the lines we can see left by the brush and the wonderful swirls of the copper lustre decoration. It is all a bit of a jumble but I think for that is what makes it so wonderful.

AGE - Circa 1850

CONDITION - The mug is in good condition with no chip or cracks that I can see. The inside of the mug has some crazing in the glaze and some staining at the bottom.

DIMENSION (Approx) - Height 3" / 7.5cm, Width 3&3/4" / 9.5cm, Depth 3" / 7.5cm

I love the idea of this little mug being proudly put on the Dresser in the kitchen after its original owner purchased it nearly 150 years ago. And I have no doubt that it sang out loudly amongst the other kitchenalia with its vibrant colours and decoration and I have to say I think it would do exactly the same today. Maybe its new owner will not sip tea from it like the original owner did but I can see it being both a beautiful and useful vessel for storing all those little knickknacks one never knows quite where to store, whilst sitting decoratively on a shelf or dresser.