Large Antique Salt Glazed Stoneware Charger England Circa 1765

This is a substantial and confident example of mid-18th century English salt-glazed stoneware, combining scale, historical documentation, and distinguished provenance in a form that remains quietly powerful today. This large antique salt glazed stoneware charger was made in Staffordshire, England, circa 1765, at the height of England’s great white salt-glaze tradition. At fifteen inches in diameter, it has the scale and presence associated with upper table service, yet its beauty lies in its restraint. The broad, luminous well rises gently to a crisply molded border of lobed and gadrooned ornament, press-formed with confidence and precision. The surface has the soft sheen distinctive of true salt glazing, a subtle orange-peel texture that catches the light and gives life to the otherwise pure white field. The design is cataloged at Colonial Williamsburg as Pattern E1 (CWE 1937-211,33), and an excavated example of this form is illustrated in J. Skerry  and S J Hood, Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early America, p. 231. Such chargers, plates, and dishes were press-molded and salt-fired in Staffordshire potteries from the mid-1740s through the end of the 18th century. They were prized in both England and the American colonies for their clean, refined appearance and their durability. Before the widespread adoption of creamware, this white stoneware represented a genuine transformation in the look of the dining table. Its cool, architectural clarity suited the emerging Georgian taste for order and symmetry. The charger carries a paper label on the reverse reading “The Collection of Sir Samuel Hoare,” adding provenance to an already desirable object. Pieces of this size and condition, with documented parallels and collection history, are increasingly difficult to find. The generous diameter makes it especially versatile for display, whether mounted, centered on a table, or layered with related stoneware forms. Diameter: 15 inchesCondition: Excellent, with very small original firing flaws consistent with 18th-century manufacturePrice: $650Decoration: Lobed and gadrooned molded rim, plain wellMaterial: Salt glazed stonewareStyle: Mid-18th Century GeorgianOrigin: Staffordshire, EnglandDate: Circa 1765 Notable Details: Large 15-inch scale, ideal for display Crisp press-molded gadrooned border Documented Colonial Williamsburg pattern (E1) Published parallel in Janine E. Skerry and Suzanne Findlen Hood  “Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early America” Provenance label from the Collection of Sir Samuel Hoare This is a substantial and confident example of mid-18th century English salt-glazed stoneware, combining scale, historical documentation, and distinguished provenance in a form that remains quietly powerful today.