Royal Albert | 'Mayflower' | Provincial Flowers | Bone China Trio | England, Late 20th Century

Royal Albert | ‘Mayflower’ | Provincial Flowers | Bone China Trio | England, Late 20th Century

Small pink stars of mayflower among broad green leaves, scattered across cup, saucer and plate.

The mayflower, or trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens), is a woodland plant of eastern North America and the floral emblem of Nova Scotia. Royal Albert included Mayflower in its Provincial Flowers collection, introduced in 1975. The pattern depicts sprays of pink and lilac flowers among broad green leaves on white bone china. This trio bears an undated Royal Albert crown backstamp, so its precise year of manufacture cannot be established from the mark alone.

The teacup has a flared, gently fluted body on a gilt-lined foot, with a scrolled handle touched with gilt. A large spray wraps the outside, and a small spray sits inside below the rim. The saucer and side plate have fluted rims edged in gilt, each with sprays of different sizes placed around the surface. The backstamp is the green Royal Albert crown with “Bone China England” and “Mayflower” in pink script.

Very good condition, with no chips, cracks or crazing. There are minor surface marks to the saucer and side plate, and slight gilding loss to the cup rim.

Key Details

• Maker: Royal Albert, England
• Pattern: ‘Mayflower’, Provincial Flowers collection
• Form: trio (teacup, saucer and side plate)
• Material: bone china
• Marks: green crown backstamp, “Royal Albert Bone China England”, with “Mayflower” in pink script (undated)
• Date: late 20th century (series introduced 1975; exact production date unconfirmed)
• Weight: 403 g per trio
• Condition: very good; minor surface marks to saucer and side plate; slight gilding loss to the cup rim
• Buyer profile: Royal Albert collectors, anyone building a floral tea table, and visitors with a connection to Nova Scotia

Collector Appeal

The mayflower sprays vary in size and placement across the cup, saucer and side plate, giving each piece its own arrangement within the same pattern. Together, the three form a complete place setting.

Other ‘Mayflower’ pieces from the shop: cake plate, milk jug and open sugar bowl.

Flowers fade with the seasons; on bone china, their colours remain.