Aynsley 4188 Oval Serving Bowl Pair, Marshall Field & Company, Gold Chain Floral Border

This nesting pair of oval serving bowls comes from Aynsley of England, made specifically for sale through Marshall Field & Company's Chicago flagship — a detail stamped right into the backmark, and a small window into the department store's golden era of curating fine china for its clientele. The border is a lovely bit of craftsmanship in its own right: a gold chain-link geometric pattern interwoven with a garland of hand-rendered florals in dusty rose, gold, and blue, all finished with a gilt rim.

The two bowls nest together in graduated sizes, clearly designed as a set from the start — one for a smaller side dish, one for the main event, both equally at home on a holiday sideboard. This particular pattern is genuinely hard to pin down; even the most dedicated china researchers only have a handful of small pieces on record for it, which makes a matched pair like this a real find rather than a routine replacement piece.

Both bowls show honest wear consistent with age — light staining on the undersides, nothing structural — the kind of gentle patina that comes from a piece that's actually lived a life on someone's table.

Curator Certified for accuracy and quality.