An 18th century Dr Wall period Worcester 'Queen Charlotte' p...

Hammer

£110

An 18th century Dr Wall period Worcester 'Queen Charlotte' pattern teapot. The finial modelled as a flower (restored and with metal pin), above a domed flat rim lid (underside of lid with rim chip). The body of Asian globular form and decorated with swirling blue and iron red enamels in the Imari palette and style. Underglaze blue Worcester fret mark to base c1765 - c1775. Height 15 cms x Width 20 cms, (A/F).

The pattern takes inspiration from Japanese Imari wares and it was a widely-copied style both in Europe and China. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz met the soon to be George III at the marriage altar and became Queen just two weeks later. We know that the King and Queen visited the Worcester factory in 1788 and made purchases but its is most likely that Worcester simply took the opportunity to use the name Queen Charlotte as a marketing ploy. Had the Queen herself inspired a design then surely it would be reasonable to expect something more Teutonic, less oriental and almost certainly a design containing flora as she is known to have been a very keen botanist. Queen Charlotte is clearly a more memorable a name than just "fence pattern" or "fruit and moths" - a marketing ploy which still shows its worth some 250 years later. (P103 of H. Sandon's The Dictionary of Worcester Porcelain.)