Made at the Swansea factory c.1815-17, it had been finely decorated in a London workshop with botanical specimens that include a passion flower and an anemone, and has gilt borders of scrolls and classical motifs.
The estimate was £20,000-30,000.
Two services with this pattern are recorded: the Gosford Castle and the Marquis of Exeter service. This pail comes from the former and has a Gosford Castle collection paper label. It was also in the Leslie Joseph collection and last sold at auction back in 1980.
Late spring or early summer is a traditional slot in the London auction schedule for Bonhams’ ceramics and glass sales. A feature of these is a section devoted to Welsh ceramics: porcelain from the factories of Swansea and Nantgarw and a range of pottery.
