Rare Dr Wall / First Period Worcester Porcelain Rich Queen's Shell Shaped Dessert Dish c.1770

A fabulous Worcester porcelain dessert serving dish of unusual shape, a stylised version of the more common shell shaped dishes with a slim finger hold handle to one side. Deep sides with stepped and fluted walls and distinctive shaped rim. Painted with the Rich Queen's pattern with large reserved panels, hand painted in a bright kakiemon palette and gilding of stylised blossom branches, chrysanthemums and other flowering plants. These are separated by narrow underglaze blue strips, reserving white "mons" against a red enamel ground and gilt foliage. Another large "mon" is in the centre, and unusually, the standard underglaze blue border with reserved white floral vine that is one of the main features of the Queen's pattern, here is a solid blue band over gilded with rolling scrolls. Blue crescent mark, c.1770-1775. I haven't been able to find another example of a dish of this shape with this unusual side handle or deeply lobed walls. The distinctive shape rim is found quite commonly on other dessert wares such as lozenge and squared dishes, and was used for many pieces such as tea wares and chocolate cups and saucers decorated with this pattern. This particular shaped dish though is not part of a standard dessert service, and the unusual central gilt border suggests an inherent exclusivity about the service from whence it came.