Art Deco Service

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☕️ The acquisition of this iconic ‘Deco’ service (1930-33) in the ‘Vogue’ shape and ‘Sunray’ pattern by the Shelley Potteries, Staffordshire, was made possible by @thedecorativeartssociety Shelley Potteries are best-known for their delicate and adventurous bone china tea and coffee wares of the 1920s and 1930s. This pattern was designed by Shelley Art Director, Eric Slater. The geometric shape, matched with a bold dynamic pattern was one of their most successful ranges, and is now highly collectable. This is the first bone china made by Shelley Potteries to enter our permanent world-class collection of ceramics, and is one of only a few high-quality bone china wares from the 1920s-30s in the museum. Coffee set in ‘Vogue’ shape, decorated in ‘Sunray’ pattern, comprising coffee pot with lid, sugar bowl, cream jug, two cups with saucers, two side plates and one cake plate. Slater, Eric (British, 1896-1963). Shelley Pottery Ltd, Staffordshire. Bone china, transfer printed in fawn and painted over-glaze in yellow and black enamels, 1930-1933. #coffeeday #ceramics #coffee #bonechina #staffordshire #theenglishpotteries #deco #design #fitzwilliammuseum #cambridgeuniversity

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Collections database information

Bone china, transfer printed in fawn and painted over-glaze in yellow and black enamels.

Coffee set in ‘Vogue’ shape, decorated in ‘Sunray’ pattern, comprising coffee pot with lid, sugar bowl, cream jug, two cups with saucers, two side plates and one cake plate. See numbers below and individual entries for details.

Given by the Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Decorative Arts Society

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given
Dates: 2018-01-29

Dating

Coffee service, made by Shelley Pottery, Staffordshire. Joseph Shelley joined Wileman & Co. at the Foley Works, Fenton, in 1872. Under his son Percy, the trade name ‘Shelley’ was used from c.1910. Incorporated as Shelley Potteries Ltd in 1929, the business continued to produce bone china useful and decorative wares until 1966, when it was taken over by Allied English Potteries.

The set comprises coffee pot with lid, sugar bowl, cream jug, two cups with saucers, two side plates and one cake plate. Vogue shape was designed by Eric Slater, Shelley’s Art Director, and produced from 1930 until around 1933, with many different patterns; ‘Sunray’ is pattern number 11742. The factory mark was in use from 1925-45.