How to eat dessert in style

Last week's little pink plates flew away quickly, and today I have a very different set of plates: a full dessert service from about 1825. This is a complete service I have had my eyes on for several years... and I am thrilled that I recently had the opportunity to add it to my collection.

It was made by Ridgway and it is in the very popular cobalt blue, cream and gilt style with stunning hand painted flower bouquets. Every piece has a unique bouquet, painted with great skill by an accomplished painter. The shape is early Rococo Revival, still a bit Regency; there are beautifully moulded acanthus leaves and medaillon shapes, but it isn't quite as asymmetric and wild in its shapes as the dessert services of the 1830s and 1840.

Dinner parties were a very important part of life in the early 19th Century; it was where business deals were sealed, politics was practices and marriages arranged. Every self-respecting socialite had to have wonderful tableware to host their parties, and the dessert service was the most important part. It was of course during the dessert, after a sumptuous meal and a generous flow of wine, that the most lasting impression was made on guests, the most important deals were sealed and the host could show off their wealth and sophistication with porcelain full of gilt and hand painted flowers. So the dessert service was typically the most beautiful of all.

Another aspect of these parties is that people didn't have lamps yet; rooms were lit by candles (lots and lots of them!). So you can imagine how the flickering light would reflect in the gilt, enhancing the lighting of the room and creating quite a spectacular effect across the table.

This service is in perfect condition; it has been used so it has a little bit of wear but no damage or crazing, which is really rare! It is probably the best service I have ever had in my collection and you find it here in my shop. You can see all my dessert services here. If you always want to see the latest additions, follow me on Instagram... I post pictures and a story every single day!