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George Jones & Sons “Rhapsody” for Crescent China — Gilt & Embossed Small Plates and Berry/Sauce Bowls (England, c. 1920s–1930s)

The Piece

An elegant grouping from George Jones & Sons for Crescent China in the scarce “Rhapsody” pattern: creamy ivory bodies with a richly embossed grape-and-foliate border, framed by a hand-gilded inner ring of tiny arrowhead motifs and a fine outer gold rim. The faces show beautiful, uniform crazing and gentle tea toning—exactly the kind of honest age that turns early 20th-century tableware into display-worthy décor. Perfect layered on shelving or pressed back into service for desserts, fruit, sauces, or petits fours.

Design & Construction

Form & Style:
Low-profile bread/side plates and matching shallow berry/sauce bowls. The broad embossed cavetto creates texture and light play; the gilded rings concentrate the eye toward the center. A refined Edwardian/Art-Deco transition look—restrained, luxurious, and versatile.

Material:
Dense English earthenware/ironstone with a warm ivory glaze. Hand-applied gilt at the inner band and outer rim. Surfaces exhibit stable, allover crazing consistent with age.

Mark:
Underside printed in black: “RHAPSODY / CRESCENT / GEORGE JONES & SONS / MADE IN ENGLAND / U.S. PAT. No 77844 / GREAT BRITAIN” with the Crescent monogram—an authentic maker’s mark used by George Jones & Sons on export wares in the early 20th century.

Dimensions (approx.)

  • Side/Bread Plate: 6⅛–6¼" diameter

  • Berry/Sauce Bowl: 5¾–6" diameter × 1–1¼" high
    (Hand-finished pieces vary slightly.)

History & Provenance

Operating in Stoke-on-Trent, George Jones & Sons (est. 1861) built a reputation for finely modeled bodies and tasteful decoration. The Crescent brand denoted their higher-grade table china aimed at export markets, including the United States. Patterns like Rhapsody paired molded fruit garlands—an homage to Victorian relief work—with crisper geometric gilding that suited evolving interwar tastes.

Condition

Good vintage condition overall. Even, attractive crazing and tea toning; expected light utensil marks. Gilding remains bright with ordinary rub at high points and rims; occasional flea bites or kiln specks typical of period manufacture. Clean, display-ready. (Message me with exact counts and I’ll tailor the listing to your set.)

Product Details

Attribute Description
Maker George Jones & Sons (Crescent China)
Pattern Rhapsody (embossed grape & foliate with gilt bands)
Origin Stoke-on-Trent, England
Year c. 1920s–1930s
Material Glazed English earthenware/ironstone with hand gilt
Color Ivory with gold decoration
Mark “RHAPSODY / CRESCENT … U.S. PAT No 77844” backstamp
Condition Good vintage; uniform crazing, toned glaze, typical gilt wear
Pieces Small plates and shallow berry/sauce bowls (quantities per your set)

Why It Belongs in Your Home

These pieces bring Old-World English charm to modern tables—textural, luminous, and quietly glamorous. Style them in a stack with crystal and brass, use the bowls for berries or olive pits at cocktails, or float a single macaron on a gilded plate. Their patina tells a story; their scale makes them endlessly useful.

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