Regency English Ridgway Porcelain Acanthus Moulded Lilac Shell Dessert Dish

A striking and unusual English porcelain dessert dish with a predominantly circular shape ending with a shaped handle with fluting to the body and ornate, very detailed, relief moulded decoration of a pair of curved acanthus leaves with a long feather in between. Coloured in a rare lilac enamel ground, the relief moulding reserved in white and further relief moulded decoration runs around the walls, branched floral sprays reserved in white and scroll framed cartouches partially edged in gilt. Each of these cartouches is well painted with a spray of garden flowers in bright enamels. Small green and black shaded flowers and leaves are set into the lilac ground with gilded leaves and the central reserve and rim are finished with sawtooth gilding. Red pattern number 626 to the reverse, thought to be Ridgway, c.1815.