Vintage St Michael Ceramic Bon Bon Basket Brass Handle Japan Roses 5982/5511
£19.00
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Vintage St Michael Ceramic Bon Bon Basket Brass Handle Japan Roses 5982/5511
£19.00
Item Overview
- Type: Vintage Porcelain Bon-Bon Basket / Floral Sweetmeat Serving Bowl / Decorative Trinket Dish
- Brand: St Michael
- Manufacturer: Japanese Export Porcelain Foundry
- MPN: 5982/5511
- Place of Origin: Japan
- Style: 1980s English Country Cottage Core / Romantic Chintz Tableware
- Colour: Ivory White Base Glow, Vibrant Deep Pink Roses, Creamy Yellow Cabbage Roses, Soft Lavender Lilac Bunches, Sage Green Foliage, and Bright Polished Brass Tone Handle
- Design Era: Mid-1980s Vintage Era (c. 1985–1986)
- Material: Fine Glazed Porcelain, Hand-Applied Gold Gilt Rim Lining, and Curved Brass Bar Wire Swing Handle
- Set Includes: One (1) Two-Piece Decorative Ensemble: One (1) Fluted Ceramic Wavy-Rim Bowl, and One (1) Original Detachable Swing-Action Flat Brass Handle
- Features: Scalloped Architectural Rims, Dual Lateral Pierced Hanger Ports, Fully Detachable Brass Hardware, Wrap-Around Internal and External Patterning, Intact Original Underglaze Gold Bordering, and Original Identification Base Stickers
- Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition (The vitreous porcelain body is exceptionally bright with no chips, hairline fractures, or structural cracks; the gold gilt trim remains crisp and complete with zero rim fading; the removable brass swing handle sits perfectly true within its mounts and shows lovely vintage lustre with only minor age-appropriate surface oxidation)
- Size and Capacity: Dainty decorative dimensions; the bowl measures 5.0 inches in diameter (approx. 12.7cm) with a low-profile depth, rising to an elegant full height when the swinging brass profile handle is fully upright.
Dating & Historical Context
- Dating: This charming example of high-street homeware history dates to the mid-1980s (c. 1985–1986). The manufacturer reference code 5982/5511 on the surviving base label, coupled with the choice of dense, smooth Japanese porcelain blanks and the distinctive chintz rosebud motif, documents the popular design portfolio released by Marks & Spencer during this decorative peak.
- Historical Note: Sold under the celebrated St Michael house brand, this piece represents a fascinating chapter in British high-street retailing. Throughout the 1980s, Marks & Spencer often commissioned fine-art ceramics from highly skilled decorative porcelain workshops across Japan. These factories specialized in executing complex, continuous wrap-around floral patterns finished with fine hand-painted gilt rims that could gracefully withstand daily domestic service. Affectionately curated as a sweetmeat or small confectionery basket, this design brought the romance of an English country garden directly to the late-20th-century afternoon tea table, becoming a beloved giftware staple.
Description
An exceptionally visual and beautifully preserved acquisition for collectors of vintage St Michael chintz, nostalgic tea-table hosts, or cottage core decorators, this delicate porcelain bon-bon basket is full of vintage grace. The piece features a beautifully molded, undulating scalloped body that showcases its dense bouquet design from every angle—intertwining full-bloom deep pink roses with soft yellow blossoms and clusters of purple lilacs. The silhouette is elegantly elevated by its original flat-sided brass swing handle, which anchors securely into side holes and rotates smoothly to serve treats or sit flat on a vanity table.
Expert Identification & Design Features:
- Original Factory Branding: The reverse base retains its crisp, authentic rectangular St Michael factory sticker documenting its pattern pedigree and Japanese manufacturing origin.
- Polished Gilt Rim Accents: The wavy upper boundary is defined by a fine, hand-lined liquid gold border that provides a sophisticated frame for the polychrome botanicals.
- Dual-Sided Pattern Application: The lush rose trail drops elegantly inside the interior well and cascades over the outer walls, giving the dish excellent visual depth.
- Detachable Swing Architecture: The flat brass handle can be cleanly pinched and un-hooked from the basin ports, allowing the bowl to transform into a standalone table centerpiece or a trinket dish.
Condition Report
This high-street heritage ceramic piece is in excellent vintage condition, exhibiting pristine structural preservation. The porcelain foundation is uniform, glossy, and solid, entirely free from perimeter chips, underglaze crazing, stress hairlines, or restoration; the floral pattern remains intensely vibrant without cleaning scuffs or scannable glaze fading. The hand-gilded rim line shows no rub-backs or thin margins from historic handling. The companion brass swing handle maintains a true, un-bent semicircular arch, hooking cleanly into both support sockets and holding its upright alignment nicely with only light, authentic golden age patina.
Shipping & Logistics
- Domestic Shipping: FREE UK TRACKED DELIVERY.
- Packaging: The ceramic bowl and the brass handle will be safely decoupled and individually cocooned in high-density bubble cushioning to eliminate any risk of metal-on-porcelain contact or friction during transit, then shipped together inside a rigid, impact-tested container.
- Dispatch: Order before 12.00pm and we ship same day.
Returns & Payment Policies
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
- Not as Described: In the unlikely event of an error in our listing, we will provide a full refund and cover the return postage costs.
- Change of Mind: We accept returns within 30 days; however, in these instances, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs.