Recd 7 June 1770 of Mr. William Dewsbury the Sum of four pound Ten Shillings in full for paint Sent to Chelsea China Work. Charged to Mr. Cox.

£4—10—0.    Exd. & Entd.    Pd. Thos. Coles.

The body of the Chelsea china is very frequently uneven—i.e. it has often the appearance of being unequally mixed. One of its peculiarities is that it would bear no fresh exposure to the heat of the kiln, and consequently could not be re-painted and altered. The second application of heat would most probably end in the entire cracking and destruction of the piece. The body was not so compact as the Derby, and of very different general character from Worcester.

The earliest examples made at Chelsea I believe to have been the ordinary white with blue patterns, after the Delft and other makes; and in these early days no marks were used. The glaze, too, was somewhat thick and clumsy, and unevenly laid on. A little later on, Oriental patterns were copied very successfully, both in blue and white and in mixed colours, and the potting became careful and less clumsy. Some early specimens of cups and saucers copied from Oriental patterns, which I have seen, are remarkably well potted, and bear a wonderfully close resemblance to the originals, both in body and in ornamentation. The best Oriental specimens which could be had were, however, used as models, as were also those of France and Germany; and very soon the articles produced at Chelsea most successfully rivalled the best productions of Dresden and Sèvres, both in modelling, potting, colouring, and glazing. The colours were remarkably fine and vivid; and as only the best artists were employed as painters, the pieces produced were extremely choice and good. Many of the landscapes, of which Boreman (or Bowman) was for a long time the chief painter, are in most exquisite taste, both in colouring and choice of subject. The groups of figures, historical, mythological, or otherwise, are, too, remarkably fine, and evince a correct taste and a high degree of manipulation on the part of the artists employed. In modelling, Bacon, Nollekins, and many other of the most eminent men were employed, and the figures they produced were of the highest possible degree of beauty.

In flowers and insects, the Chelsea painters were particularly happy and successful, and they had a peculiar “knack” in “accidental arrangement” which produced a most pleasing effect. Thus, on a plate or dish, the little groups or single sprigs of flowers were often thrown on, as it were, “hap-hazard” along with butterflies, bees, lady-cows, flies, moths, and other insects, and thus produced a pleasing, because an apparently unstudied, effect. The raised flowers, arranged on vases and other ornamental pieces, are usually of extremely good character, and are well painted; and the birds and figures which are introduced along with them are also very nicely and carefully modelled.

Figs. 374 and 375.—Figures in the Museum of Practical Geology.

Specimens of Chelsea china are to be found in most collections, both public and private, and, being much sought after, usually produce high prices when offered for sale. It may be well, as a guide to collectors, to quote the prices which have been realised in some few instances. In the Bernal collection were the following:—

At the sale of the late Queen Charlotte’s collection, the Chelsea porcelain realised in many instances very exorbitant prices. At the Strawberry Hill sale a pair of cups of the famed claret colour, without saucers, enriched with figures of gold, sold for 25 guineas. Another pair, blue, with gold figures, sold for 17 guineas; and a similar pair, with groups of flowers on a ground of gold, made £11 6s. At the sale of the Angerstein collection a pair of bleu-de-roi vases, with paintings, were bought by Lord Kilmory for 100 guineas. Another pair, pink and gold ground, with paintings, and with open-work lips, realised 142 guineas. A single vase and cover, from Queen Charlotte’s collection, sold for 106 guineas; and a pair of splendid globular vases and covers, with paintings of Bathsheba and Susanna, realised 203 guineas.