A Caughley oval basket, circa 1776-80, the diamond pierced tapering sides with flower head applications, set within rope twist handles with foliate terminals including 'hot cross bun buds', the interior basket printed in blue with the Pine Cone pattern within a blue painted 'lambrequin' border, the exterior details picked out in blue, underglaze blue C with serif mark and impressed Salopian, 27.5cm wide This form of basket was first developed by the modeller John Toulouse at Worcester in the 1770's. It has been posited that Toulose also worked at Caughley, the 'hot cross bun buds' being a signature of his style.