Shagreen Statement Studs

Historical Information

Object: Shagreen/Pebble/Granite pattern

Fabric / Body: White earthenware with clear glaze

Technique: Under-glaze transfer print in cobalt blue, forming a dense pebble-like or "shagreen" texture

Date: c. 1835-1870

Likely Origin: Staffordshire, England

Find Location: Colchester, Essex

Extra Information:

This distinctive speckled design is known in ceramic history as shagreen, named after the textured skin of stingray or shark historically used for luxury leatherwork. In the early Victorian period, Staffordshire potters began imitating shagreen texture through clever dot-cluster transfer patterns.

These were printed in cobalt blue, black, brown, or green, and used as either full-surface patterns or borders.

These wares became extremely fashionable between 1835 and 1860, often paired with chinoiserie or geometric borders. The effect was bold, modern for its time, and surprisingly durable.

This piece would originally have been part of a robust household service used daily by working- or middle-class Victorian families. The pattern's durability made it especially popular for kitchenware, utilitarian bowls, and table plates.