Chelsea ware

Chelsea ware, chinaware made in the mid-18th cent. at a factory in Chelsea, London. The earliest specimens extant are dated 1745 and have the potter's mark of a triangle and the word Chelsea. Nicholas Sprimont in the late 1740s directed the factory's production. An extremely fine ware was developed, inspired perhaps by Sèvres porcelain. The mid-1750s, during which a red anchor mark was employed, saw the production of what are considered to be among the best of European porcelains. They are often based on designs of Meissen ware and have a soft, clear, white body and clean soft colors. There was also a deep blue, gold-decorated type. Characteristic figure subjects were produced, as were miniatures for curtain tiebacks, scent bottles, dressing-table accessories, and toys. The soft paste of which the china was made lent itself to both modeling and painting. The plant was merged with the Derby factory in 1770.