Plate, Dragons First
Item Number: P194
Item Shape: Luncheon Plate
Pattern Name: Dragons First
Date: c. 1815
Dimensions: D 925″
Maker: Spode
Maker’s Mark: PrintedDescription:
This round bond china plate is printed in ultramarine blue underglaze with the Dragons First pattern. It is based on a Chinese original design (see Copeland1999, pp. 145-146). Spode’s pattern is c. 1815. In the Chinese original design, half of the dragon was painted on the inside or upper surface and the other half on the side of the object. Spode attempted to replicate the original design on cups and bowls but not on flatware where the dragon, or part of one, only appears on the front of the piece and, as a result, the head of the second dragon appears to be missing.
The dragon in Chinese folk lore was not the evil dragon of Celtic mythology but a benign and compassionate creature unless it was antagonized.
This 9.25 inch round bond china plate is printed in ultramarine blue underglaze in the “Dragons First” pattern. Based on a Chinese original design (see Copeland1999, pp. 145-146). Spode’s pattern is c. 1815. In NCS 1996 Newsletter 102, pp. 14-17, Anthony Bunce points out that, in the Chinese original design, half of the dragon was painted on the inside or upper surface and the other half on the side of the object. Bunce points out that Spode attempted to replicate the original design on cups and bowls but not on flatware where the dragon, or part of one, only appears on the front of the piece and, as a result, the head of the second dragon appears to be missing. DrakardHoldway2002, p. 208, assigned it pattern number P626. Copeland and Bunce refer to the pattern as Dragons No. 1. See Copeland1997, p. 55, for information on the mark.
The dragon in Chinese folk lore was not the evil dragon of Celtic mythology but a benign and compassionate creature unless it was antagonised.
The dragon was thought to be made of nine different animals, the head of a camel, horns of a deer, ears of an ox, eyes of a hare, body of a snake, belly of a silk worm, scales of a carp, claws of an eagle and pads of a tiger.
Condition: Very Good.
