SOLD Hilditch British Blue Staffordshire Transfer Cup & Saucer c.1820

Pottery : Antique : Blue & White

 

Hilditch & Sons of Church Street Works, Lane End, Longton, took over the works in 1795. Little is written about them though they followed in the wake of Josiah Spode & Thomas Minton. Every piece I've seen by this pottery is stunningly beautiful, with lovely shapes, and bold use of color and dark cobalt blue against a very white ground. The firm is not mentioned in THE DICTIONARY OF BLUE & WHITE PRINTED POTTER: 1780-1880, VOL. i, nor VOL.II. Brief mention is found in STAFFORDSHIRE BLUE by W.L. Little. The firm became Hilditch & Hopwood in 1830 with Hopwood dying in 1848. In my opinion, anything potted by Hilditch & Son is a remarkable find and worthy of place in the most advanced Staffordshire china collections.

This cup and saucer is Oriental in style, featuring a mom and her child on the cup. I think the pattern might be known as "The Begging Child". The Sipping-style Saucer shows a family of three in front of a pagoda. The borders are floral and scrolls, bold and attractive. The saucer is marked H&S with an eagle atop and the number '5' below. The cup has the blue H&S Crown and laurel wreath mark.

CONDITION: Near mint. A small toning area at about 7 O'clock on the saucer and a surface glaze hairline on the saucer well (see picture). The Cup is excellent with NO damage, NO discoloring, NO repair. The set I would rate at 9.5 out of 10 being perfect.

SIZE: The SAUCER is approximately 4-3/4" rim-to-rim span, sitting on a foot ring, recessed bottom and about 1-1/4" deep. The CUP has a gorgeous looped shape handle, pedestal foot ring, recessed bottom. It is a tad over 2" high and 3-3/4" rim span.

Another Reference: Fig.311, p180, AN ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF BRITISH POTTERY & PORCELAIN, Geoffrey A. Godden, 2nd Ed. Magna Books

Item ID: CS.1