Somewhere in the English Midlands around 1930–1940, a painter at Jas. Broadhurst & Sons sat down with a very small brush and proceeded to hand-paint campanula (bellflower) sprays in yellow, pink, and blue onto every single piece of this tea service. Then they did it again. And again. Twenty-one times, to be precise — because this is a complete set for six, and complete sets for six don't paint themselves.
The result is the Kendal pattern: loose, naturalistic bellflower clusters on a warm white ground with a soft blue scalloped rim, the whole thing sitting on Broadhurst's characteristic gently panelled body. It has the easy confidence of English Art Deco at its most domestic — not trying too hard, just quietly lovely.
This set has never been used. It has spent the intervening 85-odd years in a cupboard, which is either a tragedy or the reason it looks this good. No chips, no cracks, no crazing. The backstamp on each piece reads Jas. Broadhurst / Kendal / Made in England in the characteristic pink circular mark of the period.
The complete set includes:
Teapot with lid — 20 × 15 × 14 cm, 490 g
Milk jug — 11 × 6 cm
Sugar bowl — 8.5 × 8 cm (milk jug + sugar bowl together: 312 g)
Cake plate (large) — 23.5 cm
6 side plates — 17.5 cm each
6 cups — 7.5 × 8 cm
6 saucers — 14 cm (238 g per cup & saucer set)
Jas. Broadhurst & Sons, Fenton, Staffordshire, England
Pattern: Kendal — hand-painted campanula/bellflower in yellow, pink & blue
Soft blue scalloped rim, gently panelled body
Pink circular backstamp: Jas. Broadhurst / Kendal / Made in England
Mint condition — never used, no chips, cracks or crazing
England, c.1930–1940
WARNING: Serving tea from this set will immediately raise the tone of any gathering by approximately one social class. Maison de L'oro accepts no responsibility for any subsequent pressure to also produce homemade scones.
