This mounted coffee pot, one of a pair, belonged to the collection of William Beckford (1760-1844) of Fonthill Abbey. Beckford accumulated an important and impressive collection of objects, including a vast amount of Chinese ceramics. He is well known for having his ceramics mounted. This porcelain is Chinese Ch'ien-lung ca.1736. The London silversmith James Aldridge added silver mounts to these coffee pots in 1820-21. Aldridge also engraved silver in imitation of enamelled decoration on Chinese porcelain.
The 18th century saw an emerging class of rich citizens who used their acquired wealth to indulge a passion for beautiful objects. The Renaissance tradition of the treasury or Schatzkammer, a special room for displaying exotic artefacts, continued in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other types of display included presentation plate, often of solid gold, which in the 18th century was worth about twenty times the value of silver.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Physical description
A porcelain coffee pot with a brown pear-shaped body decorated with a large polychrome oriental figure in silver gilt. The lid is attached to the handle by a chain.
Place of Origin
London (assayed)
China (made)
Date
1820-1821 (hallmarked)
1736 (made)
Artist/maker
James Aldridge, born 1768 (silversmith)
Materials and Techniques
Porcelain with silver-gilt
Marks and inscriptions
London hallmarks for 1820-21
Mark of James Aldridge
Dimensions
Height: 16.9 cm, Width: 11.9 cm, Depth: 8.0 cm, Weight: 380 g
Descriptive line
Silver-gilt and porcelain, London hallmarks for 1820-21. mark of James Aldridge
Labels and date
Chinese coffee pot (one of two) with mounts
Body: 1736–96. Mounts: 1820
William Beckford’s collection included Chinese ceramics, which London silversmiths mounted for him in precious metals. As well as adding mounts to porcelain, James Aldridge was known for engraving silver in imitation of enamelled decoration on Chinese porcelain.
Body: Ch’ien Lung, China
Mounts: London, England; James Aldridge (active 1778–1820)
Porcelain and gilded silver
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.874-2008 [2009]
Production Note
The porcelain is Chinese Ch'ien-lung ca.1736, the mounts are English, 1820
Materials
Porcelain; Silver-gilt
Techniques
Forming; Gilding
Subjects depicted
Oriental
Categories
Metalwork; Porcelain; Tea, Coffee & Chocolate wares
Collection
Metalwork Collection