Fine Minton Botanical Porcelain Jewelled Bleu Celeste / Turquoise Dessert Plate c.1880

A very attractive, fine quality Minton porcelain dessert plate painted in a loose naturalistic style with a pink rose sprig, a distinctive style and colour palette used by the factory. The border of this plate is particularly impressive with the classic celeste bleu turquoise enamel very carefully over-painted in a darker blue with a soft edged zig-zag in a slightly paler wash, the edges in a harder blue, the outside reserves shaded with tightly hatched lines and the inside with a flowing dotted line leading to small scrolls and a droplet at each point. Set into the troughs of the zig-zag are raised gilded jewels. Either side of the turquoise band is decorated with Minton's trademark features of a dotted band inside a solid one to the inside, and a double gilded band outside finished with a dentil rim. Unmarked, c.1880.