Discover the timeless elegance of antique Keeling & Co Chatsworth Flow blue & white china
I have a bit of s secret passion for Keeling & Co china from the turn of the Century, especially the flow blue and white late Victorian dinner service patterns which were amongst their most popular pieces.
Manufactured is relatively large volumes at the Dale Hall Works, Longport Burslem Stoke on Trent from 1892, the Keeling & Co partners were George Keeling, Joseph Keeling, Wilson Keeling and Thomas Keeling Rhodes took on the site formerly used by James Gildea and before that Bates & Co, pottery had continuously be produced on the site since 1790 as stamped on the kneeling potter 1790 factory stamp used across the brands which would expand to include late Meyers, Losol, and Losol Ware
Perhaps the most collected patterns from this period are Sterling, Oxford and Chatsworth, all quite similar and very high Victorian style flow blue transfer designs registered by Keeling & Co.
Occasionally we find a few dinner plates or a platter or tureen in our road trips and auction viewings, most are very well worn, having been is daily use for a lot of their 120 years, and very rarely we find an almost complete dinner service in fine collectors condition as we did recently at our local auction. Forty two pieces of near mint condition Chatsworth design most date stamped December 1905 with nearly unmarked bright glaze.
Included in our collection is a trio of graduated platters, the last set we had sold to a collector in America, and yes we successfully shipped the three half way around the world intact. This set, a slightly different size combination are even brighter and display wonderfully. The oval lidded tureen set with saucer plate is an inccredibly rare set and again is is superb condition.
Chastworth pattern flow blue is representative of the mass produced mid-range china being produced by the factory for home consumption, and export throughout the Empire. Every piece is individual with variation in the blue tint and how it flowed during firing. This is most apparent on the underside of the china, and is what gives flow blue is characteristic, almost studio pottery production feel, so loved by collectors
But it's not just for display or collectors, Chatsworth is a tough practical choice, with no gilt, its fine in microwave ovens and dishwashers and ovens, although personally I would hand wash it to avoid the risk of it loosing its wonderful shine and brightness.