John Davenport 1820 / Longton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Pattern:  Chinoiserie Ruins
 
Maker’s Mark of an anchor on reverse / no chips and in good condition
 
This platter is known as the Chinoiserie Ruins pattern and has the earliest Davenport mark of a small anchor. This early marked piece lends weight to the argument that Davenport may have been the first makers of the Chinoiserie Ruins pattern which was later copied by others.
 
In 1785, John Davenport began as a potter working with Thomas Wolfe of Stoke. In 1794, he acquired his own pottery at Longport and began producing cream-coloured blue and white transfer-printed earthenware. In 1801 he began making glass, and by 1805 he was making porcelain and stone china as well. By September 1806 the quality of his porcelain wares was such that the Prince of Wales, later to become King George IV, ordered services of the finest and most valuable kinds.
 
John retired in 1830 and his sons, William and Henry, carried on the firm. Henry died in 1835 and the firm became William Davenport and Company. William died in 1869. The firm continued under William’s two sons till 1887 when the factory was closed. In 1887 Davenport was acquired by Burleigh Pottery