2682 - Lotus Leaves

Tube-lining: Black
Enamels: Brown
Lustres: Sometimes a green wash is applied over the entire item. The pattern predates the surviving pattern books and consequently there is no reference source for the materials used.
Glaze: Brown mottle
Frequency Ranking: 27/50
Design Date: Late 1932 or early 1933
Production Period: 1933 - 1934
Pattern Name: The name Lotus Leaves is from the the pattern description in "Collecting Rhead Pottery" by Bernard Bumpus

Charlotte Rhead Crown Ducal pattern 2682 Lotus Leaves
Pattern 2682 Lotus Leaves

This design is reminiscent in stlyle of Charlotte's Florentine pattern 4752 at Burgess and Leigh. This should not be a surprise as it was her most popular design at that company and would still have been in production after her move to Richardson's. So, perhaps this was an important gesture to recapture customers from her former employer!

Lotus Leaves is not a difficult patterns to find,  but it may feel that way if you are searching for a wall charger in your collection. It is believed that Crown Ducal wall charger production only took off in earnest after the success of the USA salad bowl and platter designs. Consequently patterns like 2682 which did not have a long production run that would continue after the salad bowl patterns were made are rarely found on wall chargers. This observation also applies to patterns 2691 and 2800 and to a lesser extent for 3052.

Two distinct versions exist. The more common is enamelled in brown, the other has a green wash or lustre applied. There are approximately 50% more of the brown version of Lotus Leaves than the green washed examples.