Beautiful 18th century cobalt blue dish, ca. 1740 – 1770, as in museums and books

Being offered is a stunning blue 18th-century delftware dish, 5 1/4” in diameter and about 1 1/4” high. The years before 1770 represent the last great period of Delftware production. Many decorative and utilitarian wares produced during this period are characterized by different shades of blue.

In the first half of the 18th century, several factories adapted their color schemes to the fashionable colors or glazes that were fired at a lower temperature. The inspiration came from Chinese porcelain, in the style of wares known for their Oriental scenes and their use of gold, blue, and red. Despite these adaptations, blue remained a beloved color, and there are few Delftware objects where the hue is completely absent.

Similar examples can be found in "Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution" by Neumann & Kravic, the Colonial Williamsburg Museum, and the Fort Ticonderoga Museum. Shards of these dishes are often found at Revolutionary War sites. This one is in very nice condition, having a great scene with soft tone colors – there are no chips or cracks.