Feathered edge dessert plate, c. 1753-1758
Botanical plates were produced at the Chelsea factory from c.1755 inspired by the publications of Philip Miller (1691-1771), curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden. The lively naturalism of the Chelsea botanical plates reflected a broadening public interest in the natural world. Increasing global commerce brought exotic species from the Caribbean, the Americas, and Asia to England.
The Chelsea factory (c.1743-1770) was co-founded by the designer, goldsmith and entrepreneur Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), who was born in Liège, in present-day Belgium. His background as a silversmith and Paris training meant that he had an eye for quality and how best to produce it, as well as an awareness of the latest fashions. Thanks partly to Sprimont’s training and entrepreneurial flair, Chelsea porcelain could compete with the finest ceramics that were imported from China and Japan.
Despite significant commissions, including some from royal patrons, the 1760s saw a slight decline in production and its eventual sale to another ceramic entrepreneur, William Duesbury (1725-1786) who had helped establish the porcelain factory in Derby, today known as Royal Crown Derby. 1784 saw the final public sale of Chelsea porcelain, and then the demolition of the factory buildings in Chelsea.
