Wedgwood Queens Ware Frog Service Platter

Wedgwood Queens Ware Frog Service Platter

One of Josiah Wedgwood's early triumphs was a vast dinnerware service produced for Empress Catherine the Great of Russia. Executed on the Queensware body, each piece was hand-painted with scenes of English country houses in sepia and black. Each piece was also decorated with a crest containing a green frog, the mark of the palace it was intended for. Each piece was also numbered on the back, and a book containing captions for the scenes was included in the order.

Displayed in London before it was shipped to St Petersburg, it caused a sensation in English society. And while Wedgewood barely broke even on the service, he more than made up for it in orders it generated.

Amazingly,the bulk of this service has survived war and revolution over the last 200 years and still exists, more or less intact, in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. Aside from a very few pieces (test pieces, or items with scenes which were not deemed "interesting enough" and replaced) which were never shipped to Russia, there are no pieces from this service to be had on the open market

Wedgwood has attempted to address this deficit from time to time by creating reproductions of particular pieces from the Frog Service. This example was made in 1995, to mark the bicentennial of Josiah's death. It is an oval platter, reproducing number 1129 in the Frog Service book, which is a view of Wedgwood's own home, Etruria Hall. The platter is of Queensware, like the original, but the decoration is a color lithographic transfer, rather than being hand-painted.

Size: 11.75" by 9.25".

Condition: as new, no wear or damage.

Mark: large printed mark on back, explaining the significance of the piece. Stated limited edition of 3000.

Item ID: 4111

1.5#

$300 USD SOLD