Item Description
Shelley Harebell pattern No. 13544 creamer and open sugar bowl set in the Henley shape, manufactured from fine bone china in Staffordshire, England. The underside carries the green Shelley Fine Bone China England backstamp and a separate printed Harebell pattern cartouche with the number 13544. The set comprises a matching milk or cream jug and open sugar bowl. Both pieces have gently tapering Henley bodies and softly scalloped upper rims. The jug includes a shaped pouring lip and prominent loop handle, while the open bowl repeats the same moulded outline. Shelley introduced the Henley cup shape in 1938 and continued producing it until the company’s takeover in 1966. Pattern 13544 features trailing blue harebell flowers arranged among slender green stems, leaves and unopened buds. The naturalistic floral band follows the bodies of both pieces. A repeating dark-blue ornamental border runs beneath the scalloped rims, while the jug’s handle is finished in pale blue. Fine gold edging provides a restrained contrast around the upper outlines. The Harebell name and flower illustration were incorporated into the printed pattern mark, providing unusually direct factory identification. The decoration is also encountered on other Shelley forms and table-service components, allowing individual pieces to be collected as replacements or assembled into a coordinated service. Pattern 13544 is specifically documented on the Henley shape. This matching two-piece set is suitable for completing an existing Shelley Harebell service or displaying as a self-contained example of post-war English floral bone china. Its appeal lies in the combination of a named factory pattern, recognisable blue botanical decoration and the shaped Henley form. No dimensions or capacities have been estimated from the photographs. Please study all listing images for the exact shape, decoration, underside marks and current appearance of both pieces.
Item Condition
Very good vintage used condition. This matching Shelley Harebell creamer and open sugar bowl set has been carefully examined and presents attractively for its age. No cracks, repairs, hairlines or structural damage have been identified. Both pieces retain their shaped Henley profiles. The jug’s pouring lip, loop handle, scalloped rim and foot appear sound, as do the sugar bowl’s rim, body and base. The blue harebell flowers, green foliage and dark-blue ornamental borders remain clearly defined. The jug’s pale-blue handle continues to complement the floral decoration. The green Shelley Fine Bone China England backstamp and separate Harebell 13544 pattern cartouche remain legible. Extremely minor surface wear or manufacturing variation may be present when viewed closely. Fine age-related crazing may exist because of the set’s age, although it is not presently visible to the naked eye. Careful hand washing is recommended; abrasive products, dishwashers and prolonged soaking should be avoided. The listing photographs form an integral part of the description. A picture is worth a thousand words, and the images provide the clearest account of the exact pieces, their decoration, factory marks and present condition.
Manufacturer Info
Shelley’s history at the Foley China Works began in 1872, when Joseph Ball Shelley became a partner of James Wileman and the china works traded as Wileman & Co. James Wileman retired from the china business in 1884, after which it remained under Shelley family control while continuing to use the established Wileman name. Percy Shelley became sole proprietor in 1896. The company built an international reputation for finely made tea services, lightweight bone china and distinctive moulded shapes. Its artistic development was influenced by figures including Frederick Rhead, Walter Slater and Eric Slater, whose work helped the factory move through Art Nouveau, Art Deco and post-war decorative styles. Following a dispute over exclusive use of the Foley name, the Shelley trademark was introduced in 1910. The business became Shelley Potteries Ltd in 1925 and developed an extensive range of cups, saucers, plates, teapots, jugs, sugar bowls and ornamental pieces. Henley was introduced in 1938 and remained in production until 1966. During the Second World War, official restrictions limited decorated ware for Britain’s domestic market, although decorated china continued to be produced for export. Shelley expanded again after wartime controls ended and its floral fine-bone-china services became an important part of its later output. In 1966, Shelley China Ltd was acquired by Allied English Potteries and Shelley production ceased after existing commitments were completed. This Harebell No. 13544 Henley set represents the factory’s later tradition through its shaped bodies, named botanical pattern and identifiable Shelley marks.
Did You Know?
Shelley’s world extended far beyond elegant floral tea services. Illustrator Mabel Lucie Attwell created a fantasy population of fairies, animals and mischievous little elves for the factory. In 1926, Shelley and Attwell jointly registered six nursery designs, including “A Fairy Boat”, “Fairy folk with tiny wings” and “We’ve just come from Fairyland”. Even more unexpected was the Boo Boo milk jug, registered on 4 October 1926: the vessel itself was modelled as one of Attwell’s impish characters rather than merely decorated with an illustration. Harebell No. 13544 belongs to Shelley’s more naturalistic floral tradition, but both lines demonstrate how the same Staffordshire factory could move convincingly between botanical refinement and an eccentric miniature fairy world.
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