4100 - Orange Chain

Tube-lining: Brown (but recorded as black in the pattern book)
Lustres: Orange & black
Glaze: Off white
Frequency Ranking: 37/50
Design Date: 1935
Production Period: 1935 - 1936
Pattern Name: The use of “Chain” in the pattern name is first encountered in the David Williams book “The Rhead Years”.
Charlotte Rhead Crown Ducal pattern 4100 Orange Chain
Pattern 4100 Orange Chain
The Orange Chain pattern is an appealing design that suffered in the popularity rankings through being introduced at a time when Charlotte was creating so many splendid designs. The list includes Green Chain, (4298), which is basically the same pattern in green and silver, which at the time appears to have been more desirable. The decoration on examples seen are not as described in the pattern book which specifies black slip for the tube-lining. This change from design to production also applies to pattern 4298 where black slip was replaced by grey.

All examples seen were produced during period 2 and have the AGR2 backstamp except table lamps which have the old 1920s style mark because it was smaller and fitted inside the lamp body.
Some evidence of how the design went through its evolution exists in the survival of a small 10” charger that is clearly an experimental piece. It appears that only the dots and stitches have been tube-lined in brown. The rest of the design is outlined in black lustre, (not slip), and the orange and black lustre applied including the over painting of the tube-lining in black. The glaze then applied over the lustres which is not usual for this design.

Overall it is a messy piece, with poor quality black lustre work. However the tube-lining is by an experienced worker and there are no other obvious flaws so it is presumed to be an experiment of some kind that gives an insight into the development of the final design. It really is quite surprising that an item like this has survived.