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There are some fine, fine pieces in the upcoming Waddington’s Decorative Arts Sale (December 9 and 10) but what really sparked my interest was the plethora of Worcester blue and white porcelain on offer. Culled from the estate of Larry and Betty Douglas, the collection includes some Worcester transferware but most of the pieces are painted, some with very dramatic dragon motifs.

“The bolder designs will no doubt attract attention,” says Waddington’s ceramics expert Bill Kime, “but there are some very rare pieces in the sale that will really excite seasoned collectors who may be looking to fill gaps in their collections. For the real connoisseur some of these pieces would be like a cherry on a sundae.”

Kime remarks that Mrs. Douglas was part of a circle of wealthy Toronto collectors who amassed world-class collections of whatever it was that caught their fancy, in this case, blue and white porcelain. Worcester pioneered U.K. blue and white painted ware in 1751 and according to Kime, most of the items in this sale span the period from 1755 - 1785. The sale preview runs December 4 - 7. There’s also some excellent Chinese blue & white up for grabs in Waddingtons’ Asia Art Auction December 11 (see website for preview info).

To learn more about this esoteric but very beautiful corner of the ceramics market visit Antique-Marks; there are also some good books on the subject such as Worcester Blue and White Porcelain 1751-1790 by Branyan, French & Sandon (B&J).