Antique Hand Painted Floral Cabinet Plates Cobalt Blue Gold Gilt AB Pearce Set 12. Pearce (Retailer) / Fine Antique British Porcelain. Dinner Plate / Cabinet Plate / Dessert Plate. Porcelain / Fine Bone China. Cobalt Blue, Gold Gilt, Multicolor Floral. Hand-Painted Central Floral Bouquets / Ornate Gilt. Hand-Painted, Gilded, Scalloped Border. Date Stamped, Retailer Marked, Unique Individual Bouquets. Number of Items in Set. Used / Antique (Excellent condition overall, minor gilt wear, no chips/cracks). Title: Complete Set of 12 Antique Hand-Painted Floral & Cobalt Blue Cabinet Plates – Retailed by A. Pearce, Ludgate Hill, London. Overview An exquisite find for serious collectors: a complete set of 12 antique fine porcelain plates, featuring breathtaking, individually hand-painted central floral bouquets surrounded by a deep, luxurious cobalt blue border and heavy, intricately detailed gold gilt scrollwork. Because each floral arrangement is uniquely painted, no two plates in this collection are exactly alike-offering a stunning variation of botanical artistry. These premium dinner plates bear the historical stamp of A. Pearce, Ludgate Hill, London, a highly prestigious high-end glass and porcelain retailer catering to British high society. Item Specifications & Condition Details. Quantity: Full matching set of 12 plates. Diameter: 8 7/8 inches wide. Condition: Exceptional antique condition. There are absolutely no nicks, chips, or cracks. There is minor, light surface wear to the gold gilding on some of the high spots along the scalloped edges, which is normal and expected for authentic pieces of this age. Markings: Eleven of the plates retain clear, crisp red/brown overglaze retailer backstamps reading. Some pieces include original incised date code stamps. (Note: One plate in the set does not feature the date stamp on the reverse but matches the set flawlessly). ? Historical Context & Company Information. Possible Maker (Who Manufactured Them). While these plates bear the stamp of the retailer, they were manufactured by a top-tier luxury porcelain house. Pearce commissioned white-ware or custom designs from premier makers. Based on the high-relief scalloped edges, heavy raised paste gilding, deep cobalt coloring, and the distinctive style of the fine botanical painting, these plates are highly consistent with late 19th-century luxury English manufacturers such as. Minton (Famous for exceptional raised gold work and precision artists). Copeland / Spode (Renowned for premium cobalt borders and historical botanical studies). Royal Worcester or Coalport (Masters of ornate “cabinet plate” styles featuring cobalt and gold). Pearce regularly imported premium French Limoges blanks to be custom-decorated for their London storefront. About the Retailer: A. Was a legendary luxury porcelain and glassware retailer established in London in 1760. Operating out of their famous storefront at. Paul’s Cathedral, the company was the pinnacle of Victorian and Edwardian elegance. They did not manufacture porcelain themselves; instead, they catered to London’s elite and international aristocracy by curating and commissioning only the finest porcelain available from premier English and French factories. The company traded continuously for nearly two centuries until 1940, when the historic Ludgate Hill shop was sadly destroyed during the London Blitz of World War II. Surviving complete sets of 12 plates bearing this retailer stamp are increasingly rare and highly sought after.