Lot 595: A four-piece group of Masons Ironstone tableware in the Fruit Basket pattern

A four-piece group of English ironstone ceramic tableware comprising three graduated jugs and a lidded tea caddy. Each piece is decorated with the multi-coloured transfer-printed Fruit Basket pattern featuring a wicker basket filled with grapes, peaches, and berries amongst floral sprays. The jugs are of graduated sizes with octagonal faceted bodies, scrolled handles with green-painted highlights, and flared scalloped rims. The rims are finished with a pink border overlaid on a black printed scrollwork pattern. The tea caddy is of hexagonal form with a matching inset lid topped with a floral finial. The base of the tea caddy features a black transfer-printed mark with MASONS arching over a crown device and a banner containing the words PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA. Below this, the pattern name Fruit Basket is printed in script above the word ENGLAND and the text GUARANTEED PERMANENT & ACID RESISTING COLOURS. Hand-painted enamel characters C 4 8 7 7 and a small mark resembling a 1 are visible in brown, alongside a small blue stamped letter B.