brings decorated
pottery within the reach of the humblest. The truer view is, that the
simplest brushwork patterns, or even no pattern at all, would be
preferable to the tawdry results that the cheapest forms of
transfer-printing have rendered possible.

_Chelsea._--Between 1750 and 1770 the Chelsea factory was the most
important of all the English porcelain works, and fine specimens of this
period command high prices in the saleroom to-day. We know little of the
origin of this important factory, though it is believed to have been in
existence from some time after 1740 to 1784, when it was finally
demolished and some of the workmen and part of the plant were removed
to the then important works at Derby. The first manager was one Charles
Gouyn, who was followed by a Mr Sprimont before 1750. Sprimont retained
possession of the works until 1769, and died in 1771. It was during his
management, from 1750 to 1770, that the finest and most characteristic
pieces of Chelsea porcelain were made.

Although the styles in vogue at Chelsea are extremely varied, little was
produced there that was really English in character. The earliest pieces
appear to have been either in pure white or in white decorated with
paintings in under-glaze blue. The goat-and-bee cream jugs, crawfish
salt cellars, the shell and rockwork salt cellars, jugs, sauce boats,
small cups and saucers of this type are fairly plentiful. Then came the
decorations, mainly in red and gold, of the Kakiemon style, followed by
reproductions of the brocade patterns of Imari porcelain. Afterwards we
find the appearance of table wares modelled in imitation of leaves,
animals, fruits, birds and fishes, apparently adopted from current
French and German practice.

In another direction the influence of Meissen was also shown by the
production of statuettes (see in Chelsea figure, Plate X.), and of the
small modelled trinkets, scent-bottles and toys of which there is such a
fine collection in the British Museum. In the latter days of the factory
(say after 1758) we find Chelsea following in the wake of Sevres in the
production of large and elaborate rococo vases, with pierced necks and
covers, scroll-work bases and interlacing handles such as are to be seen
in the Jones Bequest in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Pieces of this
elaborate kind are overlaid with rich grounds of Mazarine blue,
turquoise, pea-green, or the famous Chelsea claret-colour, while white
panels are reserv