This is one of a pair of unique plates in the Museuem's collection that the John Slater sent over to France for Leonce to paint to prove that English bone china could be painted just as effectively as French porcelain.

The blank was made by Bodley and Co and sent to Georges Leonce in France to paint.

Displayed in the Royal Doulton Exhibition at Centrepoint Tower, Sydney, 1979. Catalogue number B140.
It is reputed that in a discussion between John Slater and Georges Leonce, c 1883, Slater asked Leonce whether he could produce on English bone china, the same brilliant colours and delicate nuances as painted on hard paste feldspathic French porcelain. Slater sent to Leonce in France an undecorated glazed bone china dessert set, made by Bodley and Co. This plate is one of three belonging to that set.

Dessert plate, bird design, porcelain (bone china), made by Bodley and Co, hand-painted by George Leonce for Doulton & Co, Burslem, England, c. 1883

English bone china plate with concave face, circular in shape, with circular ring base. Hand painted naturalistically, in overglaze polychrome colours on a reserved ground. The image depicts a bird with outstretched wings, sitting on a corner of a wooden cage bedecked with foliage. The bird has a green and yellow body and blue and grey wings. The rim is edged in gilt.

Made: Leonce, Georges;

Made: Doulton & Co (Burslem works); Burslem, England; 1878 - 1888

Identification labels on base, pasted paper, circular label, printed text in brown within circular border 'ROYAL DOULTON / JOHN SLATER COLLECTION / No 19', underneath, circular paper label, printed text in brown 'DOULTON & Co, BU[RSLEM] (text obscured by label pasted above)', label with sunburst edge, handwritten in ink, text separated by horizontal line 'A / 1868', rectangular sticker, handwritten in ink, '18 / 140'.

A2778-19

24 mm

120 mm