English Creamware Pottery Dessert Service By Hicks Meigh & Co.

Neoclassical Refinement: Hicks, Meigh & Co. Creamware Service:A Set of Simple Elegance: English Creamware, Circa 1822–1835.This extensive English Creamware Dessert Service, comprising twenty-one pieces, is a wonderful representation of refined earthenware production from the early 19th century, manufactured by Hicks, Meigh & Co. of Staffordshire. Dating between approximately 1822 and 1835, the service showcases a decorative simplicity consistent with the late Neoclassical or early Victorian aesthetic.The appeal of the set lies in its use of bold color and clean lines. The center of each piece is left undecorated, drawing focus to the elegant border design, which features two distinct bands:Outer Rim: A substantial, uniform band of smooth green painted enamel.Inner Band: A finely detailed purple rope-twist motif, neatly framed above and below by thin purple lines.The contrast between the soft, creamy-white glaze of the earthenware and the vibrant green and subtle purple of the hand-painted bands gives the service its sophisticated charm.Historical Context and MakerThe set bears the mark "HM & Co." on some pieces, identifying the manufacturer as Hicks, Meigh & Co., a significant Staffordshire pottery operating during the first half of the 19th century. Creamware, first popularized by Josiah Wedgwood, remained a widely popular and versatile material, allowing for both everyday utility and decorative refinement.This set is a comprehensive service, consisting of:Twelve Side or Dessert Plates (8 1/4 inches diameter)Nine Dinner Plates (9 3/4 inches diameter)The condition, with minor flaking to the green enamel invisibly repaired on several pieces, is typical for painted earthenware of this age and speaks to the use and value that this elegant service held over two centuries. The set is a functional artifact of dining history, reflecting the popular taste for clean forms accented by bright enamel colors during the Regency and early Victorian periods.(Ref: NY8650-nmrr)