4016 - Blue Peony

Tube-lining: Danube blue
Enamels: Goods blue, Turkish blue & mixed puce
Glaze: Greystone
Frequency Ranking: 13/50
Design Date: End 1934
Production Period: Peak production 1935 - 1937, but some items, particularly chargers were made until 1942
Pattern Name: The name Blue Peony is used by Bernard Bumpus but his source is unknown.

Charlotte Rhead Crown Ducal pattern 4016 Blue Peony
Pattern 4016 Blue Peony
 Blue Peony is was a popular pattern that remained in production from its design at the end of 1934, possibly until Charlotte left Richardsons.

Only two examples have been seen with period 1 backstamps which suggests they were made around the end of 1934. One of these is a prototype version made in the colours and glazes of Byzantine. It can be seen on George Conner's  website with his images of Crown Ducal items just above the nursery ware pictures.

With most of the production having the period 2 backstamp, this dates them to between 1935 - 1939, but most of this would have been during the years 1935 - 1936 when it was being advertised in the trade press. Examples of Blue Peony have been found with all the period 3 backstamp styles except the rare AGR14 which means production could have continued in a small way until Charlotte left in 1942 - chargers were the main shape made in the latter years. There is no evidence that examples of Blue Peony were made after Charlotte left.
References of the period:
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trades Review, February 1935 page 199

One marvellous decoration that we encountered in the showroom of the Gordon Pottery was a large plaque bearing a tube-lined decoration in shades of blue and mauve on a background of grey remindful of Copenhagen. If trade buyers remember the ”Danube” pattern they will have some idea of the treatment we have in mind, notwithstanding that the pattern itself is very different.

The photograph showing a Blue Peony vase is from Crown Ducal advertisements published in the Pottery Gazette almost every month from December 1935 until December 1936.