Description
Blue and white fruit dish on stand.
Delft, 1740-1760 The Porcelain Claw pottery mark: a claw and number 70.
The hexagonal fruit dish and stand have scalloped accolade-shaped rims. The dish stands on three feet and is pierced with a star in a circle. The centre is painted with a blue star, and six strawberries are applied around it. The flange and border is divided into six panels, alternately decorated with two types of floral decoration. The back is painted with six large sprigs. The centre of the stand is painted with strawberries and small leafy twigs in a double circle. The border and flange are divided into six panels and painted with the same floral motifs.
Fruit dishes were used for soft fruit like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries that needed to be washed before consumption. The washed, still wet fruit was laid on the dish and stand and could be placed on the table immediately. In eighteenth century sources they are referred to as “aarre bijen testen” (Eliëns, p. 124), which means ‘strawberry dishes’. This particular fruit dish is specifically meant for serving strawberries. To Judge from the number of surviving examples, they must have been popular and frequently used items. Besides hexagonal fruit dishes, also oval and round ones were part of the delftware production range.
Dimensions: Height 6.5 cm / 2.55 in., diameter 22.5 cm / 8.85 in.
This fruit dish on stand is about 270 years old and has the usual small glaze chips to rim.
