Royal Worcester plate by Raymond Rushton

Description

Royal Worcester plate by F.R. Rushton. Item 3133.

This Royal Worcester plate is decorated with a very attractive hand painted scene of Venice by Raymond Rushton (1886-1956). The impressionistic scene is of gondolas and small sailing ships in a quiet backwater of Venice, with buildings and campanili in the background. Recent research by the Museum of Royal Worcester reveals that there were two Frank Raymond Rushtons employed at the Royal Worcester factory. Frank Raymond Rushton senior (1860-?) was a potter who started at the factory in January 1875, and his son, also Frank Raymond Rushton, but known as Raymond to avoid confusion, went on to become the celebrated painter. He retired in 1953. Raymond Rushton would have been about 18 when he painted this plate, so it is a very early piece by him. The colours are still vivid, but there has been a little rubbing of the gilding to the rim. The diameter is 230 mm (9 inches). It is signed on the back and dated 1904. The Worcester backstamp is for 1905.