In a message dated 97-09-02 06:54:11 EDT, you write: << The wares Alasadair describes (if I'm interpreting him correctly) are not really blue-painted - they are moulded white bodies (I won't vouch for porcelain vs any other type of paste) with applied designs highlighted in a mauve-blue underglaze, and are usually tea and tablewares. What they resemble most of all is the decorative icing on wedding cakes... Here too (Australia) they seem to be mid-late 19th century, 1850s-1890s. They really are ubiquitous, and show up on practically every site of that date. >> Ok, now I think I understand the ware being described... In the Midwest U.S. "Chelsea" usually refers to refined whitewares with blue or lavender floral appliques around the rim. I have always assumed that these appliques were crafted from colored clays and applied prior to final firing. It would appear to be very similar in technological form to the classic Wedgwood use of contrasting color appliques on a dissimilar colored background. In fact, I'm using a Chelsea saucer on my office desk as an ashtray (AGH!). The piece I have is marked ENOCH WOOD/BURSLEM/DRESDEN CHINA/IRONSTONE, but it would clearly fall into the harder white earthenware range. I would also note that it has a 14-sided rim, which would likely fall into the ca. 1845-55 date range, as do many of the other examples that I have observed. Mark C. Branstner Great Lakes Research Associates, Inc.