The vase, which has been broken, has passed by purchase into the hands of the Earl of Dudley, who, about the same time, became the purchaser, for the sum of £2,000, of the famous vase belonging to the late Earl of Chesterfield. The earliest specimens of Chelsea ware have no mark, and can only be judged by the body, the general style of workmanship, and the glaze. But it is difficult correctly to appropriate many examples, especially those in which the _painting_ alone was Chelsea work on foreign bodies. In many of the old examples the marks produced by the triangle or tripod are said to be indicative of the Chelsea works; but this is by no means to be relied on, as the same appearances are frequently found on the productions of other work. [Illustration: Fig. 377.--Museum of Practical Geology.] The general distinctive mark of Chelsea is an anchor--sometimes drawn with the pencil, at others raised from a hollow mould; and this is used either singly, two together, or in conjunction with one or more daggers. It is usually said that the raised anchor is the oldest mark; but this can scarcely be depended on, for instances are known where, on the same set, the _raised_ anchor appears on some of the pieces, while the anchor drawn with the pencil occurs on others.[62] This being the case, it is difficult to decide which is the oldest; but, judging from the workmanship of the specimens I have examined, I should feel inclined to say that the earliest mark was the simple plain anchor, drawn on the piece with the hair pencil, in the colour which the workman happened to have in use at the time. It has been asserted that the mark of the best kind of porcelain was an anchor in gold, and of the inferior an anchor in red. This is, however, erroneous: the quality of the body had nothing whatever to do with it, and I believe the golden anchor is never found on pieces except where gold is used in the ornamentation. The raised anchor appears on the cup and saucer. [Illustration] [Illustration: Fig. 378.]