Antique Teal Green Transferware Ridgway Giraffe Deep Plate / Bowl Staffordshire

$399.99

Brand Ridgway

GIRAFFE by John Ridgway
Circa 1836-41 
Rim Soup Bowl / Deep Plate

For consideration is this nearly pristine example of the highly coveted Giraffe pattern by Ridgway. Not only one of the most attractive of patterns but is very difficult to find in any form or color.  This rare soup plate is rimmed and printed in a grayish-teal green color. I have one piece in brown of this pattern in my own collection, which took me a decade or more to find. It is not easily found! The pattern commemorates the May, 1836 arrival of African giraffes and their handlers brought to England’s London Zoological Gardens.   The engraving is taken from a lithograph titled "The Giraffes with the Arabs who brought them over to this Country" by George Scharf (1788-1860).

Ridgway Potteries Ltd, was founded sometime around 1744. Sometimes called the Grandfather of the Potteries, the Ridgway family can be traced to the earliest days of the Staffordshire potteries, along with such famous names as Wedgwood, Spode and Adams.

Under the management of one family member, John Ridgway, the Ridgway potters were appointed as Potter to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. This was the highest acclaim for any English pottery firm.

One of the family members, William Ridgway, operated the Bell Works in Shelton and the Church Works in nearby Hanley from 1830-54. The Bell Works Pottery at Bethesda Street has been The Potteries Museum since 1956 and houses the largest and most important collection of North Staffordshire pottery in the world.

Measures: 10”

Condition: No repairs, chips or cracks. Well Potted and excellent condition.

Featured on Etsy November 2012:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/collecting-english-transferware-one-womans-story