Figure pieces began to appear about 
1750 . They were influenced, by both 
the Dresden and French figurines 
Even Chelsea has traces of Rococco in¬ 
fluence, as can be witnessed by this plate, 
from the Metropolitan Collection 
This Chelsea porcelain figdrine and its 
companion piece were modeled by Lewis 
Francois Roubiliac 
November, 1918 
glass manufactory estab¬ 
lished there by Venetian 
glass - workers under the 
patronage of the Duke of 
Buckingham, 1676. It may 
be that the Chelsea pottery 
was evolved as an outcome 
of this experiment. 
Oriental Influences 
The early bits of Chelsea 
were, almost entirely, copies 
of Oriental wares and main¬ 
ly decorated with Chinese 
designs. Queen Anne does 
not appear to have bothered 
her head particularly about 
the Chelsea porcelain. The 
Hanoverian Georges paid 
more attention to it. 
Porcelain was too inti¬ 
mately connected with the 
table in their minds to 
escape royal patronage. 
George II especially en¬ 
couraged the manufactory 
at Chelsea. Frederick II 
had early borrowed and 
taken from France the art 
of porcelain-making and 
had initiated his several 
hundred princes in the mys¬ 
teries of its allurements. 
Naturally, the Hanoverians 
were interested and George 
II had everything from 
models to workmen brought 
over in the hope of rivaling 
the wares of Sevres and of 
Dresden. The Duke of 
Cumberland took interest in 
the Chelsea factory and made 
it an annual allowance. 
Soon the fame of Chelsea 
t- 19 
porcelain had become so 
great that the demand was 
far in excess of the supply 
and the prices soared ac¬ 
cordingly. In 1765 con¬ 
temporary references inform 
us that the china of Chelsea 
was in such repute “as to 
be sold by auction, and as a 
set was purchased as soon 
as baked,” dealers were sur¬ 
rounding the doors for that 
purpose. 
Royal Collections 
Watkin’s “Life of Queen 
Charlotte” writes: “There 
are several rooms in Buck¬ 
ingham Palace full of 
curiosities and valuable 
movables, but not ranged 
in proper order. Among 
other things, I beheld with 
admiration a complete ser¬ 
vice of Chelsea china, rich 
and beautiful in fancy be¬ 
yond expression. I really 
never saw any Dresden near 
so fine. Her Majesty made 
a present of this choice col¬ 
lection to the duke, her 
brother, a present worthy of 
so great a prince.” Indeed, 
Horace Walpole, in writing 
to Sir Horace Mann in 
1763, had said: “I saw 
yesterday a magnificent ser¬ 
vice of Chelsea china, which 
the king and queen are 
sending to the Duke of 
Mecklenburg. There are 
dishes and plates without 
number, an epergne, can- 
(Continued on page 62) 
A'Chelsea porcelain 
“cottage” from the 
Hodge Collection. Such 
tidbits were popular 
(Below) Chelsea plate 
with urn device and 
wreath border. Gilt was 
used sparingly on these 
A Derby porcelain cot¬ 
tage from the Hodge 
Collection. Careful 
workmanship is shown 
Chelsea plates, such as 
those grouped here, 
brought high prices 
even in Walpole’s day 
