CIRCA 1871, GILT AMPERSAND MARK, THE PAINTING ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN RANDALL

It was not until later in the 19th century that Coalport artists were allowed to sign their work, but the birds of John Randall became very well known, and these finely painted examples can be firmly attributed to him. See M. Messenger, Coalport 1795-1926, Woodbridge, England, 1995, p. 35, pl. 31 for a similar pink-ground vase by Randall with a variant gilded key-pattern foot. Also see G.A. Godden, Coalport and Coalbrookdale Porcelains, New York, 1970, p. 122, fig. 204 for a similarly painted pair and fig. 233 for a line drawing of a similar vase illustrated by Jewitt and exhibited in the International Exhibition of 1871. A very similar pair was sold Christie's, New York, 26 October 2004, lot 79.