Dimmock & Smith ‘Richmond’ Open Terrine – Full Brown Lustre, Burslem c.1840

Nearly 200 years old and still the most interesting thing in the room. This is a Dimmock & Smith 'Richmond' open terrine from Burslem, Staffordshire, circa 1840 — and what makes it genuinely special is the glaze. The entire piece has aged to a single, uniform warm brown lustre — body, handles, rim, exterior, everything. No two-tone, no contrast, no fuss. Just one continuous, glowing, honey-amber-brown that shifts subtly in the light like old tortoiseshell. It's the kind of colour that takes 180 years to achieve and cannot be faked.

The form is a proper oval serving terrine with two substantial scroll handles that sweep outward from the body. Look closely and you'll see the blue floral and acanthus scroll decoration still visible beneath the lustre — five-petal blossoms and flowing scrollwork that wind around the exterior in a continuous band. The interior is plain lustre, deep and warm. The rim is wide and flat. The whole thing has the satisfying weight of early Victorian Staffordshire stoneware that was built to last — and has.

The base bears the impressed "RICHMOND / D & S / B" backstamp — pattern name, maker, place. Everything documented, everything proper.

Yes, there is crazing. It's nearly 200 years old. The crazing is part of the story.

Details:

• Maker: Dimmock & Smith, Burslem, Staffordshire, England
• Pattern: Richmond
• Period: Early Victorian, circa 1840
• Glaze: Uniform warm brown lustre — fully aged to a single tone throughout
• Decoration: Underglaze blue floral and acanthus scroll band (visible beneath lustre)
• Backstamp: Impressed "RICHMOND / D & S / B" on base
• Dimensions: 34 cm length × 21 cm width × 12 cm height (including handles)
• Weight: 1,200 grams
• Condition: Antique — even crazing consistent with age; no chips or cracks to body, rim or handles

Perfect for: Dining rooms, arts rooms, display shelves, or anywhere that deserves a piece of early Victorian Staffordshire with 180 years of character baked in.

⚠️ WARNING: The uniform brown lustre on this terrine took approximately 180 years to develop and cannot be replicated. Maison de L'oro accepts no responsibility for any subsequent obsession with lustre glazes, emergency visits to Staffordshire pottery auctions, or the realisation that everything else in your dining room now looks underaged. Side effects include a deep appreciation for patina and an uncontrollable urge to Google "Dimmock & Smith Richmond."