Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Phlox (pattern)

Cup and Saucer
1932 (designed (shape)), ca. 1933 (designed (pattern)), ca. 1933 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Shelley Potteries are best known for their delicate, attractive and adventurous bone china tea and coffee wares of the 1920s and 1930s.

This cup and saucer is in the 'Regent' shape featuring the 'Phlox' pattern in its blue colourway. It was designed by Shelley Art Director, Eric Slater, who studied under Gordon Forsyth, an advocate of improvement in industrial design. Slater's slightly earlier 'Vogue' shape, though very modern and fashionably geometric, received some criticism for its infilled triangular cup handles which people found difficult to hold. Slater responded to the criticism with 'Regent', designed in 1932, and it soon became the most popular Shelley design. Selected by Gordon Forsyth to represent good design in his book Twenties Ceramics, its printed patterns were enhanced with enamel painting. It had a high bone content--up to 52%--and became an enduring favourite with customers.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cups
  • Saucer
TitlePhlox (pattern) (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Bone china, transfer-printed in black and painted in enamel colours and moulded
Brief description
Cup and saucer, bone china, 'Regent' shape, 'Phlox' pattern, designed by Eric Slater, 1932, manufactured by Shelley Potteries, Fenton, Staffordshire, ca. 1933, England
Physical description
Cup and saucer, bone china, decoration printed in black with pattern of phlox and banding in blue and pink.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Shelley' (within a cartouche) and 'ENGLAND' (Maker's identification, printed in green)
  • 'Rd. 781613' (Registration mark; printed in green)
  • 'PHLOX No.' (Printed in black (pattern name))
  • 'W12189' (Painted in red (pattern number))
Credit line
Given by Kay Rush
Summary
Shelley Potteries are best known for their delicate, attractive and adventurous bone china tea and coffee wares of the 1920s and 1930s.

This cup and saucer is in the 'Regent' shape featuring the 'Phlox' pattern in its blue colourway. It was designed by Shelley Art Director, Eric Slater, who studied under Gordon Forsyth, an advocate of improvement in industrial design. Slater's slightly earlier 'Vogue' shape, though very modern and fashionably geometric, received some criticism for its infilled triangular cup handles which people found difficult to hold. Slater responded to the criticism with 'Regent', designed in 1932, and it soon became the most popular Shelley design. Selected by Gordon Forsyth to represent good design in his book Twenties Ceramics, its printed patterns were enhanced with enamel painting. It had a high bone content--up to 52%--and became an enduring favourite with customers.
Collection
Accession number
C.164:1, 2-2003

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Record createdNovember 27, 2003
Record URL
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