A surprise result was obtained by eight English Minton bone china cabinet plates, circa 1879, which led the sale at $14,025. Noted sale specialist Stuart Slavid, “They were especially well executed with vibrant enamels and in wonderful condition.”
Review by W.A. Demers, Photos Courtesy Bonhams Skinner
MARLBOROUGH, MASS. – English porcelains and pottery, Wedgwood and blue transfer printed Staffordshire all fared well with both national and international competition in Bonhams Skinner’s sale of British pottery and porcelain that ran December 10-20. “All told, a very consistently good sale and with a few bargains thrown in,” said Stuart Slavid, the firm’s senior vice president, European decorative arts and silver. Total sale was $184,913 against an estimate of $110,250/172,850 with a 95 percent sell-through rate. There were 282 registered bidders.
Eight English Minton bone china cabinet plates, circa 1879, led the sale, selling for $14,025 – a surprise lot, noted Slavid. “They were especially well executed with vibrant enamels and in wonderful condition.” The plates were decorated in imitation of cloisonné, with bleu-celeste ground polychrome enameled with a variety of cartouches of vases and flowers in the Japanese style. Retailed by Davis Collamore & Co. New York, each plate had a diameter of 9-5/8 inches.
A large Staffordshire blue transfer printed advertising jug from 1835 sold for $6,120. With bulbous shape, floral borders and European-style landscapes surrounding its body, the 26-inch-high jug featured scrolled handles and was inscribed below the spout “Charles Floyd Earthenware & China Dealer London 1835.”
Bidders craved English creamware. Crossing the block was a Staffordshire creamware red transfer printed jug, circa 1800, one side with “Liberty to the Sons of Britain” above a spinning machine, verses below, and the reverse with “The Farmer’s Arms” and below the spout a cartouche inscribed “The happy Fire-Side or Conjugal Felicity.” Signed T. Baddeley Hanley, the 9-inch jug hit $765.
Among several creamware highlights was this Staffordshire red transfer printed jug, circa 1800, one side with “Liberty to the Sons of Britain,” the reverse with “The Farmer’s Arms.” The 9-inch-high jug brought $765.
There were six creamware Liverpool bird decorated plates from the Eighteenth Century that brought $319. Each black transfer printed featured a five feather edge. Four had a diameter of 8¾ inches, one had a diameter of 9¾ inches and an octagonal piece with running diamond border had a diameter of 9¼ inches.
Two red transfer printed creamware items, circa 1800, combined for $281. The lot comprised a scalloped bowl with Liverpool bird designs, diameter 10¼ inches, and an oval soup tureen and cover with entwined handles and designs of fishermen by a river, 13 inches long overall handle to handle.
Tea party time was evoked by 17 English creamware black transfer printed tea wares from the late Eighteenth Century. Each was decorated with Tea Party subjects, the group including a marked lower case Wedgwood covered globular shaped teapot, 5-3/8 inches high; an unmarked bowl, diameter 6¾ inches; seven tea bowls, diameter 3 inches; and eight saucers, diameter 4-7/8 inches. All were bid to $383.
From the muted tones of creamware, the sale moved into more colorful territory with an English Worcester porcelain partial Queen’s pattern service, circa 1765-90, Fetching $701, the polychrome enamel and gilt decorated set featured underglaze blue marks and included two covered teapots; two hexagonal teapot stands; covered bowl; covered cream jug; spoon tray; tea canister; three scalloped plates; two fluted bowls; bowl; two fluted coffee cans; two other coffee cans; six fluted tea cups; two other tea cups; fluted tea bowl; other tea bowl; three fluted saucers; seven fluted saucers; four assorted saucers; four shallow fluted bowls; another shallow bowl; two two-handled cups; and sugar bowl.
A Royal Worcester porcelain Renaissance horn featuring foliate relief and sitting atop the back of a bird, 8¾ inches high, was made circa 1887 and earned $319.
Three Eighteenth Century porcelain teapots and covers found a new home for $638. Each pot was polychrome enameled to a globular shape, two Worcester, one in the Pu Tai pattern, 6¼ inches high; another with Mandarin figures, 6½ inches high; together with a Chinese export in the style of Worcester Valentine pattern, 6 inches high.
Decorative porcelains featured an English Royal Worcester Renaissance horn. Made circa 1887, it had a faux ivory-colored ground with simulated bronze-colored accents. The foliate relief horn sat atop the back of a bird. It was 8¾ inches high and left the gallery at $319.
Going out at $255 was a pair of Doulton Lambeth faience vases from 1878 that were decorated by Mary Butterton with polychrome enamel flowers and foliage. Signed and with impressed mark, each stood 12 inches high.
And who wouldn’t want to decorate one’s favorite reading nook with a Wedgwood black basalt reading lamp and cover? Selling for $638, the Nineteenth Century lamp had an oval body with fluted neck, oak leaf border and acanthus and bellflowers to its lower body. It was modeled with a classical maiden holding an open book atop the shoulder and was 8¾ inches high.
Six creamware Liverpool bird decorated plates from the Eighteenth Century flew to $319.
Also figural was a pair of Wedgwood Jasper classical figures on stands. Late Eighteenth Century, each was a molded solid white figure set atop a solid green drum with applied fruiting swags terminating at ram’s heads. The pair realized $2,805.
Additional highlights in the sale included several Wedgwood pieces, including a dark blue jasper freeform jug, late Nineteenth Century, bringing $2,295; a powder blue Lustre fish bowl, circa 1915, $2,040; and a Fairyland Lustre “Elves on a Bridge” plate, circa 1925, at $4,080.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, www.skinner.bonhams.com or 508-970-3278.
