Lobed delft Dish, London, c.1680

This late Seventeenth-Century lobed delftware dish was probably made at one of the London factories during the mid-eighteenth century, and the pinkish tone to the glaze would suggest Lambeth.

Each of the nine lobes is painted with a bold stylized oak leaf design, and the centre of the dish is decorated with a floral motif, possibly deriving from patterns seen on Chinese Ming porcelain.

The dish was made from a single piece of clay and formed in a press or 'hump' mould. It has a flat base with stilt marks.

Delftware of this type was enormously popular in England during the Reformation, and continued until the reign of Queen Anne. The inspiration for design would come from a mixture of imported Chinese porcelain and traditional European decoration. Many of the pieces would be highly-prized, reflecting new consumer powers along with refined tastes.

Condition: Excellent - no cracks or restoration, only a couple of minor rim chips on the reverse, typically associated with this brittle tin glaze. The glaze has a wonderful texture, and the piece is incredibly tactile.

Dimensions: Diameter 9" (23cm); Height 1 5/8" (4.1cm)

Alan Thompson, Francis Grew, and John Schofield Excavations at Aldgate, 1974 (Post Medieval Archaeology, 1984).