Wood & Sons - Prunus

Frederick Rhead's take on this classic Chinese design is one of the most striking out there, instantly recognizable with its contrasting transferprint and deep blue colouration.

Like most Prunus designs, it is an all-over (chintz-like) pattern, featuring white flower heads against a dark blue background of stems.

Woods items are marked with a moth logo, with the word PRUNUS inscribed between its horns - a typical Rhead backstamp.

This is a very attractive range to collect, owing to the large number of shapes that crop up - mostly vases, bowls, jardinieres and dressing table items, rather than tableware as such.

Rarely, one encounters the Prunus pattern in different colours, (eg: mulberry), including some hand-coloured versions.

An important variation on the pattern is Rhead's beautiful Cherry Blossom design (right), in which the flowers are hand-coloured green with brown stalks, over a lighter blue shaded background.

Dessert plate
8.5 ins

Examples of Prunus table ware are scarce - this is probably a cabinet plate

SOLD

Dessert plate
Variant pattern
9 ins

This is the only example we have seen.

There is no backstamp, but Woods provenance is inferred from the impressed mark W930, dating it to 1930.

£32

Small chip on reverse of plate

Sleeve vases
These can be found in at least 3 sizes:

Small
6.25 ins high

Medium
8.25 ins high
£45 each

Large
10.25 ins high
£55 each

Hexagonal vases
2.25 ins (top rim),
3.5 ins (widest),
7.5 ins high

£95 pair

Bowls
These also range in graduated sizes

Large bowl
White inside
9.25 ins,
3.75 ins high

£75

Star craze visible in centre, (see below) but doesn't leak!

Medium bowl
White inside
7.5 ins,
3 ins high

£55

Small bowl
6 ins,
2.125 ins high

£45

Oval dish
cup: 3.5 ins,
2.25 ins high,
saucer: 5.5 ins,
plate: 6 ins

£75

Large jardiniere
9.625 ins (top rim),
7.75 ins high

£180