Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'
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  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'

Late 18th century Flight Worcester plate from the 'Hope Service'

$12,500.00 AUD
$12,500.00 AUD
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The Hope Service was designed and created by the Royal Flight Worcester Company, commissioned by the Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (later King William IV) in 1789.

The full 260-piece Neo-Classical service consists of a soft-paste porcelain base, with a bold blue underglaze lobed border, with gilt patterae, and gilt arched panels and stars. The centre cartouche artwork features the Greek mythological Hope, painted in monochrome using the French-inspired grisaille style.

Across the set, Hope is depicted in a variety of poses with an anchor, and often with a ship in the distance. In this piece, Hope is standing on a rocky cliff at the sea’s edge, in front of her anchor, waving wistfully at a passing ship. Each centre depiction was hand-painted by John Pennington, stated as Royal Worcester’s finest artist.

The naval motif was chosen by the Duke himself, as a reflection of his naval career. Hope is one of the personifications of the three Christian Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity), translated from the Roman 'Spes', and in turn, the Greek 'Elpis' - from Hesiod's myth of Pandora's Box. Depicting Hope as the Greek Elpis ties in perfectly with the neo-classical style. The anchor is possibly in reference to Hebrews 7:19, in which hope is referenced to be 'an anchor of the soul'.

The underside is marked with the blue Flight crown, script, and crescent. This piece has some minor losses to the gilding but is otherwise in excellent condition.

Dimensions: 24.5cm D

Early Provenance
H.R.H. William Henry, Duke of Clarence, later H.M. King William IV, thence by descent to: Lord Frederick Fitz Clarence. William George, 18th Earl Erroll. Charles, 20th Earl of Erroll, sale Christie's 11th May 1893, lots 104-165.

Literature
Cf. R.L. Hobson, Worcester Porcelain (1910), pl. CV (2), and Henry Sandon, The Illustrated Guide to Worcester Porcelain (1969), pl. 148 and the examples in the British Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum and The Museum of Worcester Porcelain.

Young, Hilary. English Porcelain, 1745-95. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1999. p229.