Rare Antique Shore & Coggins Imari Pattern 1849 Butterflies 29-Piece Tea Set for 8 including Tea Pot

Rare Antique Shore & Coggins Imari Pattern 1849 Butterflies 29-Piece Tea Set for 8 including Tea Pot with Stand.

Shore & Coggins, operating as Bell China in Longton, England, produced the hand painted Imari-style pattern number 1849 during the inter war period, typically from the 1920’s – 1930’s.

These bond china pieces feature traditional Japanese-inspired Imarai motifs with cobalt blue, iron red enamelling highlighted with gilding.

This particular pattern is a subtle blend of red and orange florals and butterflies with cobalt and gilt around each rim.  The footed tea cups are gently flared at the rim.  I see a lot of Imari but this is the first time I’ve come across this delightful pattern which I think is quite rare.

This is a superb tea set in fabulous antique condition with no damage and little or no signs of wear with the exception of some small amount of rubbing to the gilding which gives it that ‘not new’ look and hints of its age.  It’s now on about 100 years old so is doing remarkably well to maintain this condition.  There is some staining on the tea pot stand as can be seen in the photographs.

Set is made up of the following:

1 x Tea Pot (2½ Pints capacity, 5” tall overall)

1 x Tea Pot Stand (7” diameter)

1 x Milk Jug / Creamer (capacity 8 fl oz)

1 x Sugar Basin (2¾” deep x 5” top rim diameter)

8 x Tea Cups (capacity 5 fl oz, 2¾” tall by 3¼ top rim diameter)

8 x Saucers (5½” diameter)

8 x Tea Plates (6” square)

1 x Cake / Sandwich Serving Plate (9¾” x 9¼”)