Royal Albert | Mayflower | Bone China Open Sugar Bowl | England, c.1970s

The sugar bowl is the quietest piece on the table — and often the most overlooked, which is perhaps why a well-patterned example earns its place so reliably.

Mayflower forms part of Royal Albert’s Provincial Flowers series, produced during the 1970s — a period in which the company continued its long-standing tradition of botanically inspired decoration on fine bone china forms. The pattern depicts Epigaea repens, the trailing mayflower, rendered in loose, painterly sprays of pink and lavender blooms against deep green foliage. The green crown backstamp reading “Royal Albert Bone China England”, with the pattern name in pink script, confirms first-quality English production.

This open sugar bowl would have originally accompanied the Mayflower cake plate and milk jug, forming part of a coordinated tea service.

The form follows the familiar Royal Albert open sugar profile: a gently lobed body rising from a spreading scalloped foot to a broad, flared rim. The rim is finished with a continuous gilt line that traces the scalloped edge, echoed again at the foot. The exterior carries well-balanced floral sprays around the full circumference, while the interior remains undecorated, allowing the translucency of the bone china to come forward.

The piece presents in excellent condition. There are no chips, cracks, or crazing. The gilding remains intact and bright.

• Maker: Royal Albert
• Pattern: Mayflower
• Series: Provincial Flowers
• Form: Open sugar bowl
• Material: Bone china
• Origin: England
• Period: c.1970s
• Height: 6 cm
• Diameter: 11.3 cm
• Weight: 135 g
• Condition: Excellent — no chips, cracks, or crazing; gilding intact

Collector Appeal

• Part of the Provincial Flowers series, a quietly collectible Royal Albert line with strong decorative continuity
• Complete or near-complete service grouping (cake plate, jug, and bowl) increases desirability and display value
• Classic 1970s Royal Albert craftsmanship — light, refined, and consistently finished
• Versatile standalone piece for mixed-pattern tables or replacement market demand

Three pieces of the same service on the same listing page — the cake plate, the milk jug, and the sugar bowl — suggest that something worth keeping was kept with care.