Shelley Chintz Dish

SHELLEY ENGLAND FINE BONE CHINA CHINTZ DISH - ALL-OVER ROCKERY FLORAL, PINK SHELL HANDLES, GREEN BACKSTAMP Small square-form bone china dish photographed on a dark oak table. The well carries a dense all-over chintz transfer of a flowering rockery - pink and rose blossoms, blue forget-me-nots, yellow alyssum and broom, white flowers, and green foliage tumbling over a pale grey stone wall - running edge to edge with no reserve. The rim is shaped and scalloped with a soft pink band, and two molded shell-form tab handles at the sides are washed in the same pink. The reverse is plain white with a square recessed footwell and a green printed backstamp reading "FINE BONE CHINA / Shelley / ENGLAND"; no pattern name, pattern number, or date code is printed on this piece, so none is claimed. Flaws: two small rust-brown specks inside the footwell, scattered light glaze pitting and tan flecks on the underside and handles, faint surface scratching in the well, and light overall soiling. No chips, cracks, or repairs are visible in the photographs, but the dish was not examined under strong light or tapped for ring, so it is UNTESTED and unverified for hairlines and prior restoration. Sold as one dish as pictured. Description Form: small square shaped-rim serving or pin dish with two molded shell tab handles Construction and finish: English fine bone china, glossy glaze, all-over chintz transfer decoration in the well, hand-applied pink wash on the rim and handles Marks: green printed "FINE BONE CHINA / Shelley / ENGLAND" in the footwell - no pattern number, pattern name, registration number, or date code is present Size: approximately 5 1/2 inches across handle to handle, approximately 4 1/2 inches front to back, and approximately 1 inch tall, per the tape-measure photographs Attribution note Shelley Potteries of Longton, Staffordshire - successor to Wileman & Co. - is best known among collectors for its fine bone china teawares and for its chintz patterns, among them Rock Garden, Primrose Chintz, Summer Glory, Melody, and Maytime, as listed by Antique-Marks. The rockery-and-stone-wall design on this dish is consistent with Shelley's Rock Garden chintz, recorded as pattern number 13353 in the National Shelley China Club pattern listings published through the Shelley Group. Because no pattern number is printed on this example, that identification is offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and is not guaranteed. The green printed Shelley script mark was in use over a long span through the firm's mid-twentieth-century production, and no firm date is assigned here. Bid on the item(s) as pictured. Notes for bidders Bone china chintz is durable but the transfer and the hand-applied pink wash are surface decoration: hand wash in lukewarm water with mild soap, and keep it out of the dishwasher, where heat and detergent dull the pattern over time. Do not use abrasive pads, scouring powder, or bleach soaks, which will haze the glaze and lighten the colors. Avoid sudden temperature changes, do not microwave, and store with a soft cloth or felt pad between stacked pieces so the shell handles are not chipped. Only the item(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.