A stunning Shelley lustre ware octagonal bowl with a lovely electric blue iridescence. The centre has a large gold butterfly and each alternate panel has an enamel coloured butterfly overprinted in best gold (4 in total). The exterior of the bowl has a finely streaked purple and blue lustre with a patterned gold trim*. In excellent condition - no chips, cracks or restoration and showing little signs of wear or rubbing. A rare example to find, especially in such good order. Printed Shelley England mark with Walter Slater signature. Width (point to point) 25.5cm (10in)

*The Shelley pattern book archives describe the various elaborate production techniques as "printed butterflies; blown in under-glaze water green, pink and oven blue; fired, scratched off and enamelled; fired and lustred; overprinted in gold then raised and extended in gold".