An interesting artwork design from the famous Alfred Meakin works.
They produced a number of similar "themed" designs around this period but we haven't seen one of these in a very long time.
We seemed to have gathered together (we hate that word "collected") a number of very nice classic English ornaments, tableware and teaware's but now it is time for us to find new homes for these - we are not getting any younger and are afraid the kids will "dump" them when we are gone!
DLAT RATING (Darling, look at this!) 8/10
ALFRED MEAKIN - Cake Plate
1930's ~ 1940's (based on the backstamp)
9 inches diameter (230mm in the "new money")
Opaque chinaware (you cannot see through the china)
Cream base colouring which is heavily textured
Netherlands themed artwork, perhaps Alfred Meakin was aiming for the dutch market with this design. Bright vibrant colours depicting yellow, purple and red tulips with a dominant pink Cherry tree in full blossom. Yes, Holland does have Cherry trees and in fact they are quite something to see. Over to the right is the sailing boat which looks a little like (but it is NOT, the sail shapes are not right) a Chinese junk boat - but it is in fact a small twin sail pleasure craft, many of which ply the waters around Holland.
The only thing we are not sure about is the background "buildings" behind the boat, if they are buildings. This was the 1930's and we wonder if such tall buildings existed then. A puzzle left unsolved!
Every piece of art tells a story!
All artwork on this plate has been skillfully hand applied, as has the Gold gilding craftwork - very skilled worksmanship!
Gold gilding to the outer rim - this gilding is heavily applied and "feathered" at the edges, this feathering is intentional, not the gilder having a bad day!
The backstamp (Olive Green flowing writing) is:
Alfred Meakin
England
Both Artist and Gilder "ID markings" on the base of the plate, these were used to identify who contributed to the production of each piece from the works - the workers were paid on a "per piece completed" basis, not by the hour i.e no mark, no pay honey!
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Considering this plate is ALMOST 100 years old, actually older than my parents (just) I would describe the condition as VERY GOOD.
Here is a blow by blow account of this plate
NO cracks
NO fleabites
NO chips (or fish!)
NO discolouration or spotting to either the base cream colouring or the artwork itself
Artwork colours are BRIGHT and VIBRANT - they have not become "subdued" over the years
NOTHING HAND-CRAFTED AND OF SUCH AGE IS PERFECT, HERE ARE THE FLAWS
Crazing can be viewed fairly easily, particularly when held to sunlight. This is a "fact of life" for old chinaware, the glaze shrinks and expands due to heat and cold and produces tiny cracks in the high lustre glaze.
NO ingress of mould or dirt into the craze lines though
If one looks VERY closely at one Red tulip, you can see a white line across the bud - some time in the past someone has scraped away the paint - probably from over zealous use of the cake knife! It is NOT unsightly or even terribly noticeable but the fact is ... it is there.
On the underside, while there are no fleabites, there is a tiny little "outwards" bump which seems to be UNDER the glaze, I would call this a potter's flaw and not damage that has occurred after it left the works.
Gold (feathered edge) gilding is excellent, all around the edge
