Extravagant richness on a small scale. Here Coalport's artisans execute a fully realized r...

Extravagant richness on a small scale. Here Coalport's artisans execute a fully realized rendition of one of their signature patterns on the constricted surface of a small circular potpourri. A glossy cobalt blue ground is interrupted by scallop-edged white reserves framed with gilt accents. The white spaces are brought to life with freely brushed depictions of the bright blossoms of spring, ranging from single sprigs in the small reserves to fully developed nosegays in the two larger spaces. The rococo style reminds us that Worcester's elegant cobalt ground pieces originated just a few decades earlier.

The charm of the potpourri is enhanced when we consider its function. It takes little imag...

The charm of the potpourri is enhanced when we consider its function. It takes little imagination to understand the need for fragrant potpourri in the early nineteenth century home. The knop here, however, additionally forms a socket intended presumably for a small candle. Picture a lady retiring to an elegant boudoir, her path lighted and sweetened by the tiny porcelain trinket she carries.