A cylinder-shaped serving tureen with a lid

A cylinder-shaped serving tureen with a lid, made of white faience. The vessel is decorated with a colourful decal consisting of asymmetrical floral compositions; the patterns are reminiscent of Rococo art. The tureen is not very deep and is supported on a conical foot. It has two small handles. The lid is quite low, protruding beyond the tureen rim. The top of the lid features a handle in the shape of a round fruit, a Chinese plum, set on a relief poly-leaf. On the underside of the lid, there is a process set back from the rim of the vessel, corresponding to the opening of the vase. On both sides, there are asymmetrical and elongated compositions of stylised sea-green ogees interspersed with two large maroon and blue flowers and four small branches. The entire composition seems to form fanciful garlands suspended at the rim of the vase, and the irregular field formed between them is filled with fine elongated mesh with fine dots. The tureen edge, foot and edge of lid laminated with a gold stripe. In the centre of the tureen foot, there are two signatures, one stamped “BOOTHS”, the other printed with a maroon carmine stamp: “BOOTHS/SILICON CHINA/”FLORADORA”. The third mark is a hand-written bright red “9” or “6”. Clear glaze, covered with a grid of cracks.

Yulia Dushka