A rare Mason's Ironstone 'Chimney Piece' or Fireplace circa 1830

printed and painted with peach and vase-shaped panels of flowers and trees reserved on a blue ground gilt with scrolling foliage and further reserved with flowerheads, black printed Chimney Piece and Royal Arms mark. Some restoration.

For examples of Mason's 'chimney pieces' see Geoffrey Godden, Mason's China and the Ironstone Wares, pp. 175-181, including an example of similar form the present piece, but with relief-molded decoration, pl. 218. Very few such fireplaces survive and they were presumably technically difficult to fire - Mason's being the only factory of the period which produced such items.