Lot 34: A Mid-19th Century Mason's Patent Ironstone Three-Piece Garniture Set

An English Mason’s Patent Ironstone three-piece garniture set of hexagonal form, dating to circa 1840. The set comprises a central lidded jar with a domed cover surmounted by a figural Buddhist lion finial, flanked by two matching open vases. Each vessel is decorated in a rich Imari-style palette of iron red, cobalt blue, and hand-finished gilt highlights. The decorative scheme features traditional Chinoiserie scenes including pagodas, exotic birds, and stylised floral sprays against a crisp white ground. The vessels are further characterised by twin scrolling gilded handles and flared rims. The base of the vessels bears the brown printed maker’s mark consisting of a crown above a ribbon scroll inscribed REAL STONE CHINA. This mark is associated with the high-quality ironstone produced by the Mason’s factory during the early Victorian period, designed to emulate expensive imported Chinese porcelain. Central jar height: approximately 35.5 cm (14 inches).