Antique Ceramics

18th century Australian Pottery!

2012-02-07T19:32:00.001-08:00

It's not very often we find a ceramic link to our earliest origins here in Australia. We are a young country, our European foundations laid with the first colonists in 1788.
So when I found a piece of pottery with a strong Australian link dating to 1790, I was very excited!

I am taking a liberty, in that it is not an Australian made piece, (being made in Staffordshire circa 1790) and we don't know when it came to Australia. The important link is what is depicted in the print that adorns the front.
Titled "Bennington picking the pocket of J Brown Esq.", it opens up a fascinating tale of thievery and plagiarism. It all begins with a certain 'Gentleman' by the name of Bennington, shown below in an oil portrait c.1795, held by the National Gallery of Australia.

George Barrington was not what he seemed. In the illustration on this jug, he is dressed in the best fashions of the 1790’s, using his respectability to quitely slip coins from the gentleman he converses with. He was in fact a notorious pick-pocket, who in 1796 ironically became the Chief Police Constable of Paramatta!

Above: Source of the print is the frontispiece from 'The Memoirs of George Barrington', published by J Bird 1795- note the pick pockets tools below the figures.

His real name was George Waldron, and was born to a well-to-do family in County Kildare, Ireland. He changed his name after an unfortunate incident at school in 1771 forced him to run away: in a fight with a fellow student, the student was stabbed. He became a local pickpocket, but when the gang he worked with was arrested, he slipped away to London.
Here he resumed his ‘career’, and was a natural, earning the title ‘Prince of Pick-pockets’. This was appropriate, considering his methods; dressed in the finest garb, he was once caught in the front boxes (best seats) of Covent Garden theatre, having just pinched a diamond encrusted snuff box from the Russian Prince Orlow said to be worth £30,000!

At his trial, he pleaded his case with such theatrics that the Prince refused to press charges. Caught several times, he used connections and rhetoric each time to great advantage. He was a fine orator, and manipulated the jury and the public with well written letters to the press.
This ended in 1790, when he was caught pinching a gold pocket watch, and while he should have been sent to the vile prison hulks moored in the Thames as he had been previously, he used his skills to ensure sentencing to ‘Transportation to Botany Bay’.
He arrived on the 1791 fleet.
His conduct and charm worked well in Australia, and in 1792, he received the first Warrant of Emancipation ever issued in Australia. Next was a position of great respect, no less than the Superintendent of Convicts - the Chief Constable of Paramatta!

Due to apparent writings about his experience, under titles such as 'Memoirs of George Barrington' and 'A Voyage to New South Wales', his following was huge, the first ‘star’ from Australia. However, he was not the author of the numerous accounts and memoirs published in his name! In an age without copyright, the publishers of the day capitalised on his popular appeal: overnight, multiple editions were created, plagiarizing more mundaine accounts of the new colonies, but expanding and enhancing according to the publishers whim. Some were ‘Memoirs’, others fictional accounts of ‘A Voyage to Botany Bay’, while one work titled “Barrington’s Annals of Suicide, or Horrors of Self-Murder” included the “Dreadful History of Anaboo, a Native of New Holland Who Killed Herself Through Love”, the tale of a tragic liaison between an Aboriginal woman and a convict - all total fabrication!. In the early 19th century, there were more than 80 publications reputing to be by Barrington, all false creations in his name, created to cater for the fascination the public still has for villains.

This interesting piece of early Australian History will be offered in our upcoming Recent Acquisitions exhibition 2012, to be held in Geelong on March 31st- see details at www.moorabool.com

Happy New Year to all

2012-01-03T16:12:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all!
2012 is off and running, with a vast amount of cataloguing taking place at Moorabool Antiques in preparation for our 2012 Exhibition.

A favorite is this enamel box, just palm sized, and beautifully painted.

It is English, and was made at one of the South Staffordshire production centers, such as Bilston, dating to around 1770.
For many years these were all called "Battersea" enamels, the thought being they were made in a short -lived works in Battersea, London. This firm was short lived, and examples are very rare: 98% of enamels we come across are either made in South Staffordshire or Birmingham.

It is one of a group of enamels we will have in our 2012 Exhibition, where it will be released for sale.

It is also a milestone stock item, being our 15,000th piece to be catalogued!
By a coincidence, piece 14,000 last year was also an enamel- a head of a pug dog!

Meissen, the earliest porcelain from Europe.

2011-12-20T01:18:00.001-08:00

For our 2012 Exhibition, we have some exciting rarities, but none come close to this piece- one of the earliest pieces of porcelain from Europe it is possible to own.

It is Meissen, of a unique early body type developed by Böttger in the early 1710's. While not the absolute earliest body type, we can confidently date it to circa 1720.

The decoration, however, is not of Meissen type. This tooled gold (ie details are burnished in) Chinoiserie figural scene includes fountains, a drummer, a man with a teapot, and another holding out his teacup for him to fill. Beneath the scenes is a large scroll device, known as a Laub un Bandenwerk console. The border has thick gilt lines with scalloped edge supporting a series of dotted arcs and double chevron & dot motif. This border is a great clue to the origins of the decoration: the workshop of Bartholomäus Seuter, a Hausmalerei workshop in Augsburg. The bowl was sold in the white, and decorated just a few years later- let's say circa 1725.

Inside, there is a bird on a branch, another common motif of the Seuter workshop.

Underneath, there is no crossed swords mark, the piece is simply too early. The earliest marked Meissen dates to around 1730.
I was excited to see that there was a faint mark, very hard to make out, but definitely a capital letter in lustre, now faded away. Such letters are often seen on these early Meissen pieces.

There is a saucer also. Unfortunately, it has suffered some wear. It has a wonderful fluted band moulded in relief, which is also richly gilt. The decoration is very close to the teabowl, and definitely from the Seuter workshop, but slight variations suggest that the two have not always been together. What a rare chance, to put these two rare survivors together!
These came from the fabulous Byrnes Family Trust collection, sold in London a few years ago for well over a million pounds.
They will be released for sale as part of our 2012 Exhibition, to be held in our Geelong premises late February 2012.

Join our newsletter list to be notified closer to the time.

Eureka moments

2011-12-11T19:09:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, research can be a frustrating exercise. You spend hours- or days- trying to track down a piece, following no end of hunches, each leading to a dead end. This was the case with the following piece, an octagonal blue & white plate in the Chinese manner.

It should be Chinese- the dealer I bought it from called it that- but it made me uneasy. While it is a hard-paste type body, the way it has been made- the profile of the side and the base- is unusual compared to the usual Chinese porcelain of the mid 18th century. There is a brown line rim and foot, which does appear on Chinese.

The decoration is very Chinese in style, although perhaps a little too stiff & formal compared to the fluid Chinese originals. It reminded me of the copies you see made in English & Dutch Delft bodies, circa 1750's.
So where does it fit in?
Hard paste porcelain, blue & white decoration... early unmarked Meissen? ( might as well aim high!) No, the hard paste is not crisp enough. It has a faint creamyness to it. After a whole string of Continental & English 'red herrings' , I laid it to one side. All I could say was definitely NOT Chinese.

Then one day as I sat having a coffee with a customer, I was flipping through 'Godden's New Guide to English Porcelain' - and there it was. "EUREKA" I shouted as I ran off to find the plate, and returned with it to explain to the startled customer. Fortunately, they are fascinated by the same detective work regarding early ceramics as me!

So what was the solution to the mysterious plate?

A rare, short- lived factory in Liverpool, the Islington China Manufactory.
This was a pottery factory run by Thomas Wolfe from around 1790, but in 1796, Wolfe took on two partners- John Lucock and Miles Mason.
Mason was of course a 'Chinaman' - an importer of Chinese porcelain based in London. The date of his partnership coincides with the decline of Chinese porcelain imports. Miles could still sense a demand for the type of porcelain, and so seems to have looked around for an alternate source. The Islington Works fitted the bill. The porcelain they produced was of a hybrid hard-paste, of a type also made by Wolfe & Mason at the old Pennington works in Liverpool prior to the opening of Islington.
However, the factory did not last, and in 1800 the partnership was dissolved. They are rarities, and Godden remarks "....much further research needs to be carried out on this interesting class."

This exciting discovery will be offered in our upcoming exhibition & catalogue, in early 2012. Join our newsletter email list to stay informed.

Fair Views 2

2011-11-05T19:45:00.001-07:00

Some more views @ The Great Sydney Antiques Fair.

This wonderful plate in the background is Sévres, from a grand service made for Prince Napoleon in 1856, and most probably used in his Pompeian House in Paris. An identical example can be seen in the British Museum.
Either side are a rare pair of Neiderviller figures of children in unglazed biscuit porcelain, circa 1780. Forefront is a Berlin miniature biscuit figure of a gent, dated 1846, looking nervously at the 19th century Meissen chickens and quail at the very front.

This is a Royal Worcester Parian figure - once again unglazed porcelain- known as Against the Wind, and dating to 1865.
The red glass includes Moser of Karlsbad and some Victorian 'Mary Gregory' of the 1880's.
In the background you will see a large pair of French pink vases with trailing overlay foliage designs from the same period.

Here's a couple of regency bronze cherubs, earlier 19th century, and an amazing Minton plate with pate-sur-pate borders and a central Cupid painted by Boullemeier......

The plate in the background is Sèvres, made 1900 and decorated with a superb historical interior scene in 1901.
The white teapot is a miniature Vienna example, c.1785, while the pink is Spode c. 1820!
The building is an unusual Staffordshire miniature c. 1830, while the figures are late 19th century German.

Remember, these items are all for sale, and can be seen on our website-
www.moorabool.com

Some Service, please!

2011-10-29T00:11:00.001-07:00

At the Great Sydney Antiques Fair, we have a number of usable services.

This magnificent example is in remarkable condition. Made by Minton in around 1845, the pale green ground has reserves of beautifully painted flower specimens- roses, tulips, poppies, and fuscia...

There are a lot of pieces!
10 plates, 2 oval footed dishes, 2 rectangular, 4 round, and 2 lovely sauce tureens and stands.

An interesting feature is the occasional printed mark for Daniell, London. This is sometimes mistaken for the firm of Daniel, but was in fact a retailer in London. The pieces made for him by Minton were intentionally left unmarked in order to ensure the clients came to him, not to the Minton factory, for their purchases !

A Fairly unusual case of deja-vue

2011-10-29T00:05:00.001-07:00

This large European majolica figure is by the factory of Hugo Lonitz of Neuhaldensleben, dating to circa 1870.

What makes this a case of deja-vue for John, ( the founder of Moorabool) is that it was on his stand at the very first Antique Fair he exhibited in back in 1959!
That was the Antique Dealers Association of Victoria's fair in the Malvern Town Hall, High Street Armadale.
He remembers the piece as being his, as it has a broken foot.
He saw it again a few years ago, at auction but it was too expensive. This time, he was happy to buy it back again, and here it is at the Great Sydney Antiques Fair 2011 - 52 years later!

Fair Views....

2011-10-28T22:12:00.001-07:00

Fair scenes.....
Here are some views in our cabinets at the 2011 Great Sydney Antiques Fair.
A tribe of Chinese porcelain Foo dogs, Kanxi, circa 1690

A beautiful blanc-de-chine Guanyin, Kanxi period c. 1680.
Framed by a Swato dish, Ming porcelain, recovered from the Bin Thuan shipwreck off Vietnam, which sank around 1608.

Below, a rare Red Anchor Chelsea figure of a boy, c.1755, seems to be feeding a Derby deer, c.1770.

Our scent bottles include this stunning Chelsea example below, circa 1760, modeled as two boys building a house of cards. It is particularly special as it came from the Blohm collection, and would have been one of Mrs Blohm's 'Toys' she carried through war-time Germany when she fled via Sweden.

In the background is a St James / Girl in the Swing - scent modeled as Harlequin & Columbine, circa 1755.

Moorabool @ the Great Sydney Antique Fair 2012

2011-10-26T05:58:00.001-07:00

Moorabool is back in Sydney once more, with a wide range of lovely articles on display. Over 1,000, in fact!

The fair runs from the 26th - 30th October - see the organizers website here.

We have an emphasis on usable antiques- meaning items that are still perfect for the table, and in fact add a sense of elegance to modern dining.

Our Antiquities include the amazing Tang polo player, (no hooves touch the ground!) and the just as amazing wooden 'fat Lady' , also Tang Dynasty (8th century AD). She is commoner in pottery, and very rare in wood.

Come along & enjoy!

Newsletter for Moorabool.com

2011-09-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

There's an exciting development over at moorabool.com - a Newsletter which will publish important events such as Fairs & Exhibitions, and feature fresh stock & updates to the website.
Join Up Here!

Moorabool Antique Galleries is Australia's largest stock of genuine Antique Ceramics.

Figure fun at the Fair

2011-09-10T22:10:00.001-07:00

We have an entire cabinet dedicated to 18th century porcelain figures at the AAADA fair in Sydney.

There are a startling number of different manufacturers represented.
Above (left to right) is a small Orleans white figure of a boy; an Italian Doccia figural snuff with an embracing couple; a small white Mennecy (French) box in the form of a Chinaman, with silver mount hallmarked for 1750-6; a larger Mennecy box with a reclining shepherd and his dog, Paris marks for 1762; and a fantastic Saint Cloud snuff box in the form of a reclining buffalo, with a comical colorful Chinoiserie scene to both sides of the lid, bearing Paris hallmarks for 1738-44 to the silver mounts.
In the background are two examples of "Water" by Derby.

This group includes a very rare Chelsea-Derby miniature figure of a gent, marked with a double-anchor mark unique to a handful of these figures; A scent bottle is from the extraordinary rare firm of St James, previously known as 'Girl in the Swing'. This piece is a Commedia d'arte piece, with Columbine and Harlequin, and has a swan stopper. The seal to the right is a lady with an anchor, representing 'Hope' . She was part of the famous Blohm collection.

Animals feature in this scene, with seals- a pair of kissing doves and a hen & chicks from Chelsea, and a comical dog from St James. In the background is a herd of Derby Deer.

More seals include another comical St James piece - a dwarf in a tricorn hat, looking for all the world like a later period Toby Jug, but dating to circa 1750.
The other seal is a boy with a flaming torch, probably representing Winter, and also St James, mid 18th century.
In the background is a remarkable Vienna figure of a couple, a rare perfect piece from the 1760's.

All these items are available on the Moorabool Antiques website.

www.moorabool.com

The Moorabool Stand

2011-09-10T15:20:00.001-07:00

Here's our stand at the current AAADA fair.

Our French corner is particularly satisfying, dominated by a bust of Marie Antoinette.

The Oriental ceramics were very well received. Here is a cabinet full of blanc-de-chine, most of it Kanxi circa 1700.

A good number of people have attended, thank you to all who could make it.

AAADA Fair, Sydney

2011-09-09T16:51:00.001-07:00

Moorabool is currently exhibiting at the AAADA fair at the Randwick racecourse, Sydney.

It's held in the Pavilion building, a neo-chinoiserie building which was built in 2000. Unfortunately, the word is out that it's days are numbered.... It is due to be demolished and replaced, so come and see it for one last time.....

It had been a superbly busy time, a well attended event with a smorgasbord of delights for antique & art lovers.

Cataloguing for 2012

2011-09-09T16:31:00.001-07:00

We are currently beginning the rather daunting task of preparing for the 2012 catalogue and exhibition.

From early Meissen to some very interesting English porcelains, I will be highlighting these items over the next few months. Drop back to share our discoveries - and eventual catalogue.

Italian Invasion.....

2011-04-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

In our 2011 Catalogue, we have a number of eighteenth century Italian pieces of porcelain from the Doccia factory.
Established by the Marchese Ginori in 1737 with help from German workmen with experience in porcelain making (ie originating in Meissen, the first true porcelain maker in Europe), this factory near Florence made unique forms in a distinct grey paste, often disguised under a thick white glazed achieved by using tin oxide. Their wares are rare and keenly sought after.

The coffee pot is a particularly interesting piece, having the flamboyant birds-head spout.
Circa 1765, more photos and description here.

The plate has a version of the 'Tulip' pattern, based loosely on a Chinese Export pattern of the early 18th century. Circa 1790, more info & pictures here.

There are a couple of interesting cup s & saucers also - this Imari style one with a fenced garden, Circa 1760 - more photos & info -

...and another with a very unusual pattern which is loosely Neo-Classical - Circa 1760 - more photos & info here -

And finally, a snuff box, left undecorated, with a whimsical depiction of an embracing old (?) couple - Circa 1780 - more photos & info here.

Remember, these items are all available on our website, and are part of our 2011 Exhibition.

A Pinxton discovery, c.1798

2011-04-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here's an exciting discovery for all Pinxton fans.
It's a rare Pinxton coffee can, painted with pattern 221, with an oval scene of figures by a house on a trackway, within a wide gild line and flowerhead border, with gold to the rim and band to the base.
Marked to the base with a red inscription 'In Derbyshr', also 221, and dating to circa 1798.

This small firm has a fascinating story.
From the 2011 Moorabool Catalogue: "Pinxton existed for a few glorious years, 1796-1813. John Coke, a local gent, sent clays to William Duesbury of the Derby factory to test. William Billingsley, an artist at Derby at the time, came to correspond with Coke, and the first trial firing of the resulting factory was in 1796. Billingsley remained until 1799, when he left to establish his own concern at Mansfield, and the Pinxton works limped along with various partners, including the Derby artist John Cutts, until it ceased production in 1813 -although they were probably not making porcelain for the last years."

What makes this coffee can so exciting is the pattern, which is an important documentary pattern, being known as the 'Brookhill Hall Service' type. This service showed views around the estate of John Coke, co-founder of the Pinxton factory alongside William Billingsly. Sheppard states -'A saucer and a coffee can of this pattern have been seen with the number 221 in red together with the named view that appears in the decoration.....' . The red 221 pattern number is what appears on this coffee can, making it an extremely rare documentary piece. The paste is the early glassy version with great translucency.

The style of painting is close to work by J.Cutts.
The pattern is also extremely close to Minton's pattern N58 of the same period, but most of their pieces will be marked, and the paste is very different.

The mark on the base

This rarity ~~will be available in our 2011 Exhibition~~
has been SOLD

Exhibition2011

2011-04-19T23:16:00.000-07:00

A few views of our 2011 Exhibition

Full stock list of fresh Exhibition stock available here.

A Virtuous Derby Vase

2011-04-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

This is a rarity from our 2011 Exhibition, and appears on the cover of our 2011 catalogue.
It's a Chelsea-Derby vase, of classical shape with wonderful gold stripe ground, and dating to around 1775. This was the period (1770-84) where Derby also owned Chelsea, hence the hyphenated name.

On the front is a depiction of Virtue, shown holding a torch up and with a rather large club - the Club of Hercules - in her other hand, titled to the lower VIRTUE.

This is the work of a well known Chelsea artist, Richard Askew. Askew was a Londoner, who came to work at Chelsea in the late 1750’s and was there for the transition to Derby, 1770-84. This vase bears the transitional mark, with both the Gold Anchor of Chelsea, and the D for Derby.

The other side (not really a 'reverse' - more of another option for when you didn't want to stare at VIRTUE on your mantel!) is by Zachariah Boreman. He was a Chelsea artist, working at the Chelsea porcelain works from the 1750's, and specializing in landscapes. He loved depicting sweeping vistas with towers by rivers, with small figures scattered here & there. In this example, a lady strolls by a river bank as a man struggles to haul a rope - or is he a successful fisherman with a rather large catch! and also stayed at the Chelsea works to the end. After this he spends ten years at Derby, but returns to London and is said to have painted for one of the decorating studios there.

For more details & photos, have a look at it here on our website.

Exhibition 11

2011-04-18T22:58:00.001-07:00

Our 2011 Exhibition is underway. Over 300 fresh items were released for sale on Saturday 16th in our Geelong premises. Over the next while, I will be blogging about the key pieces.

You can view our full Exhibition stock lists here.

Not everything is ceramic: there is a wonderful group of mellow oak from a local collection, and an interesting collection of mortar & pestles from a New York collection, along with all sorts of early apothecary items.

Saucy sauce boats

2011-04-18T05:54:00.001-07:00

We are getting closer to our exhibition, and seem to have a serious outbreak of Sauceboats!

They are a varied group, but all 18th century porcelain & pottery. As a group they trace the evolution of the form, and illustrate the change in style over the course of the century.

The earliest we have is the following, from France, and attributed to Marsaille, c.1725. Note the very small handles.

This example is also French, from Marseille, and dates to the mid 18th century. The handles have become quite substantial.

This is a Worcester example, with well painted Chinoiserie scenes, c.1756. It is a curious piece due to a negligent painter, who has only painted three of the four cell-pattern rim sections, the other being absolutely blank!

Over to the continent, and this Marcolini example is much more flamboyant, reflecting the sophistication of the later 18th century.

Here's an interesting one, from China- an order was sent to China for a service with the family crest- in this case, the McKee family. Their motto MANU FORTI - with a strong hand- sits beneath the complex crest, which shares another family's coat if arms - a marriage piece. This dates to the 1750's.

A stylish edition comes from the Comte d'Artois factory in Paris , and dates to the 1780's. It is notable for it's use of colour at a time when only the Royal factory of Sevres was entitled to be colorful- but by obtaining the patronage of the Comte d'Artois, the factory managed to get away with it!

This vibrant example is not porcelain like the preceding few, but tin glaze pottery. With an opaque white glaze to hide the crude body, it is vibrant in it's colorful flowers, and certainly trying to be porcelain!
It dates to the 1780's and is attributed to Strasbourg.

Another Chinese example, this one with an interesting use of brown enamels and gold which almost give the illusion of bronze. It dates to the 1760's.

And finally, this splendid English creamware example, maker unknown.... a fascinating mix of the cos- lettuce form seen in Worcester 1752-3, with a fascinating Baroque shell & scroll foot that hearkens back to the earlier 18th century silver forms, we date it to around 1760.

Come along & see the whole show, opening April 16th- or see it online on our website.

Catalogue (almost) catastrophe...

2011-04-06T03:49:00.001-07:00

After months of work, our catalogue is finally complete. It nearly didn't make it, with a series of mistakes involving lost data and incorrect file types.... But finally it is running off the printing press this very moment.

Touch wood, it should be ready just in time for the exhibition, on Saturday 16th April, 2011.

44 pages long, it contains over 500 items, all illustrated and extensively cataloged. A large percentage is completely fresh stock, and this will be released in our upcoming exhibition.

English ceramics

Continental Ceramics

Oriental ceramics, and a selection of Sauceboats

A collection of Mortars & Pestles, and some Pottery rarities

Yet more porcelain.... plus some artworks, enamels, and the cover vase, a Derby vase with 'Vertue' by Richard Askew, and a landscape by Zachariah Boreman.

Antiquities & Curios, including some interesting Egyptian discoveries, from old Australian & English collections.

The Centerfold is dedicated to that fascinating product of the Age of Enlightenment, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The portrait miniature is a youthful Frederick, c.1760.

And last but not least, some Furniture - to remind you that Moorabool Antiques is not just all about Ceramics - we need somewhere to sit while we study them!

The above mock-up is a quick look- if you would like a physical copy of the catalogue, get in touch.

Alternately, if you can read a PDF (anyone have an iPad?) on your computer, the entire catalogue will be posted online very soon......
Drop us an email if you would like us to let you know when this happens.

Otherwise, our Exhibition 2011 begins in a few weeks, opening on Saturday 16th April, at 11am.

Sorry, no pre-sales!

Cataloguing, not blogging....

2011-03-24T21:04:00.001-07:00

I have not had a chance to blog for a while.... Far too busy cataloguing! We are printing another lavish full-colour Moorabool catalogue for 2011. Here is the first draft laid out on the floor:

Over 400 choice items, most of them fresh, 44 pages for your viewing pleasure. Print deadline is looming, and we will post out as soon as they are ready.
If you would like a copy, please contact us.

The Exhibition 2011 date has now been set-
Saturday April 16th
Opening 11am
in the upstairs gallery of our Geelong premises.

The entire offering will also be posted on our website as a Special Exhibition.

A preview is available.

Meet Jean-Jacque Pierre, an 18th century Sevres artist.

2011-03-08T01:17:00.001-08:00

I always enjoy researching a piece of genuine Sèvres porcelain; it comes to life in a way that few other 18th century factories do, due to the extensive records kept at the factory, and the clues placed on the porcelain itself.

This superb plate with green ground has companions in the British Museum, the Quirinal Palace, Rome, and the Pitti Palace, Florence.

The mark is the crossed L's for Louis, with the date letter O for 1767, and an artist's mark - P'

This is the artist Jean-Jacques Pierre II, who happens to be one of the artists preserved in a group of sketches made from the life, preserved in the Sèvres archives.... Here he is!

Another clue is the inscribed initials in the body. These are the mark of the workman who made the piece, and a comprehensive list has been put together of the dates of pieces they worked on.
Here is the mark:

and here is the listing of the mark, referring to pieces made in 1770. Unfortunately, there are very few formers names recorded, compared to the artists, so we cannot name them.

So while there are a huge number of pieces of mock Sèvres out there, and pieces with later decoration, there is a way of using the clues above to verify the authenticity of a piece.
First, date it by the date letter. ('A' is the 1753 code, and only applies to a very specific group of styles made in such early years. It is also the most faked mark.) In this case, we have 1767 as the date.
Secondly, date the artist. He MUST be working at the works during the year the piece dates to! In this case, Pierre commenced work in 1763 and continued until 1798, so a 36 year career at Sèvres which includes 1767, and so reinforces the authenticity of this piece.
Thirdly, the workman's mark inscribed into the piece should be traceable, with hundreds recorded, and the records include the date range from year mark on the same piece. This date range should cover or come very clear to the date of the piece in question: in this case, 1774 in the recorded example is comfortably close to the 1767 date.
One final clue is well known to the fakers of all ages, and that is the 'dip hole' in the rim of the underside.

This is an artifact of the quality production at Sèvres: it is the only point touching in the kiln for glaze and colour firing, as a means of limiting any kiln flaws. It was observed on genuine pieces by the copy makers, who went to great lengths to place them in their own footrims- one example I have has 4 on one plate! However, the reason for the hole was perhaps unknown, and unused, and so will appear different in an original.
This reason was the high- tech firing method, which involved a 'tree' of metal arms in the kiln, with upturned spikes on their branches; this spike was the hanging point for the plate while firing. As a result, small flakes of metal oxides were often fused from the tip into the hole in the footrim, and examination under a glass should show a characteristic trace of this fascinating firing method. It was a difficult technique which was most probably beyond the abilities of the later fakers- or more probably, beyond their knowledge.

So with the positive answer to the above questions, we can conclude that this is a genuine Sèvres piece from 1767, painted by Pierre.

His painting was superb, his flowers and fruit comparable to the best factory artists.

This superb plate is now available at Moorabool Antique Galleries, as part of our stock.

A bowl with a dashing tale to tell....

2011-03-02T18:08:00.001-08:00

This rare large pearlware bowl by Spode, circa 1815, has an interesting tale to tell.

Large Spode Pearlware salad bowl, printed in blue with a large version of the Boy & Buffalo pattern, within a moth & trellis border, the outer panels with smaller versions of the same pattern.
Paper label to base reads: Part of the Leeds ware Service, Presented to the Marquess of Anglesey, commemorating his return from the Battle of Warterloo, bought at Anglesey Castle sale October 1904
Circa 1815

Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC (17 May 1768 – 29 April 1854) is best known for his role in the Battle of Waterloo, where he was the second in command under Wellington. His charge with the heavy cavalry was a critical point in the historic victory of the day.
The Earl of Uxbridge was not Wellington's first choice at the time of the Waterloo campaign, perhaps because his rather dashing style did not win favour with the Duke; also an earlier elopement with Wellington's sister in law had left a quite understandable residue of animosity. On 18 June 1815, however, he distinguished himself time after time and had at least eight horses shot under him. At the end of the battle, while riding next to Wellington, his right leg was hit by grapeshot, leading to the memorable exchange as he said "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" to which Wellington replied "By God, sir, so you have!"
His leg was amputated above the knee, without any medication, and he went on to have a long military and political career - with one leg. His leg outlasted him, being kept as a souvenir by the owner of the house where the amputation was done, where it survived until the 1860's as a must-see for the popular Battle of Waterloo tourists.

(Info sourced from Wikipedia pages)

I wonder if the Marques ever looked at the boy on the buffalo on his fine Spode service, and thought of those splendid days campaigning on horseback.....
Provenances like this are always problematic, as associating a piece with a famous person is an easy way to increase the price; however, the date on this service is spot on for the supposed date of presentation - 1815 - I wonder who did the presenting? As pottery, it would not have been the most expensive purchase, unlike Wellington's vast rewards from the people of London, including the famous Sevres Egyptian Service..... Something a little more basic, like his subjects on his estates, perhaps?

This rarity will be released for sale in our 2011 exhibition in Geelong, to be held in April.

Something familiar....

2011-02-18T17:59:00.001-08:00

Cataloguing again!
This is a rarity for the pottery fanatics-
A Liverpool delft tile, printed by Sadler with a peasant scene. It has a distinct border which dates it to the 1758-61 period.

The scene is very funny, and very familiar (I have twin 4 year olds and a newborn baby).....

I'd be the man at the right, looking away slightly queasy....!

Sadler was an interesting character. Born into a printing family in Liverpool, he served his apprenticeship with his father before setting up his own printing business in one of dad's houses in 1758. He was most probably aware of the hi-tech development of printing onto porcelain, which had been achieved in the London region at the Bow and Vauxhaul factories around 1755. He teamed up with an employee of his fathers, Guy Green, and in 1756 applied for a patient on the process. The trouble was, there were three other patients for the protection of the same process already applied for, in 1751, 1754, and 1755.....
So he made sure in the documentation that it was clear he pre-dated the other patients, by claiming he had been using the process for 7 years, ie since 1749!
In any event, Sadler & Green did not receive the patent protection, but that did not stop them from becoming the major suppliers of prints to the region, with their work appearing on Liverpool tin glaze delft, Liverpool porcelain, and several creamware manufacturers products.

This tile will be released for sale in our soon to be announced 2011 Exhibition, in our Geelong premises and on our website.

Mennecy figure fest!

2011-02-10T17:13:00.001-08:00

A recent purchase has had some interesting interactions with our stock and collection. It is a French biscuit porcelain group of a lady & gent, she teasing a hat off his head while he plays a flute. While many 19th & 20th century factories made such pieces, this example shows all the signs of an 18th century original.

They're on a rocky base, on a low plinth. Beneath is a typical X raised support, popular with the French potters in the 18th century.

Nestled down there is an incised mark.....

It's a cursive D V, the mark for Mennecy, a most desirable firm established in Paris in 1750 and continuing into the 1770's.

...which matches perfectly an unmarked figure attributed to Mennecy currently in stock @ Moorabool Antique Galleries.

The lady is from the same mold, with minor details added by the different 'repairer' - the person responsible for splicing all the parts together.

For some reason, he/she decided to cover his face with a hat on the recently acquired one.
The unmarked example is also distinct for having a high plinth base with swags of applied flowers and bows, very finely modeled. This links in to another group, in the Lorraine Rosenberg Reference Collection. As can be seen below, it has the same high plinth with applied details.
This group shows some youthful gardeners with the fruits of their labors - a basket of flowers and another of fruit. A shovel and a bottle lie at their feet.

It was the identical style, details and paste of this piece which gave the original attribution to the Moorabool stock piece.

Underneath is the same raised X support-

-and nestled up in the base is the same cursive D V monogram mark. Aileen Dawson, of the British Museum, published a paper on these pieces in the French Porcelain Society Journal vol 1, 2003. She describes this cursive D V mark as 'strange', meaning quite unusual, and links them to a documented artist- or rather two, the brothers Christophe and Jean-Baptiste Mo. The pieces which bear an additional MO incised with the DV for Mennecy are regarded as the documentary pieces for these artist brothers: interestingly, on other pieces the cursive D V mark is also associated with them on stylistic grounds. These pieces illustrated here with the D V mark are quite plausibly by the brothers Mo.

Another Mennecy group in the Collection is this small group of musicians.

It is very sweetly modeled, the details fine, the finish superb. Intended as a table decoration for an aristocratic dining table setting, the lady plays the hirdy-girdy while the man conducts with a baton. I assume she was not his only musician, but that surrounding figures were also playing to his rhythm!

Underneath is the conventional D V mark of Mennecy. The S is presumably the repairer who was responsible for constructing this group, in around 1765.

The style is very confident and polished, especially when compared to a similar group. Illustrated in the same paper by Dawson as previously mentioned and reproduced below. This group is stiffly modeled, and actually bears the cursive D V mark previously mentioned in connection with the brothers Mo. Clearly, this is a different artist at work.

The figure below, from Dawson's paper, is similar in feel to the Youthful Gardeners in the Rosenberg Collection.

This is very interesting when we look at the mark, reproduced below- it is the same, strongly suggesting another Mo attribution is possible, if we use the mark as a signature.

Below is yet another mark from the same paper, a similar D V - but probably NOT the work of the Mo's! So it is not as simple as it would at first seem.

The cursive D V mark is not the definitive reason for attribution on these figures. It seems to be the mark of a repairer, or assembler, rather than the sculptor of the original model. The actual original modeler would not get his name onto the products unless he was also the repairer who assembled the figure from the various molds. While this was possibly the case with the examples signed MO, these other models are more open to interpretation.

The figure illustrated above is once again from Dawson's paper. The form of the rocks, the finely detailed figures and the fruit and flowers all bring to mind the figure I have recently purchased, and indeed the figure in stock at Moorabool Antique Galleries in Geelong: examine the seated man and you will see that he is indeed identical to the man in the first photo of this post: the woman is also the same to the waist, where she has been made to sit rather than stand.
Examining the mark yields no surprises: a cursive D V , putting it in the group of other very similar groups by the same hand.

This was a very exciting area to research. There is still much more to be discovered regarding these rare figures. I would love to hear from anyone with an example, especially with the initials mark. By comparing a larger sample, it may be possible to sort out the difference between the sculptor of the original master model- ie the style of the piece- and the repairer of the piece, who most probably left the problem initials on the bases.

The figure will be released for sale as part of the 2011 Exhibition at Moorabool Antiques, Australia; the other group is currently available on the Moorabool website.

14 thousand pieces of stock!

2011-02-08T23:11:00.001-08:00

Moorabool Antiques has passed 14,000 items on our stock database today! Item 14000 was a sweet little South Staffordshire enamel patch box modeled as a lions head.

It has it's original mirror inside, so you could see to put your beauty spot on - as was the fashion 230 years ago when this was made.

On the cover it has a view of an English sea side town. This should be identifiable - it has a castle, docks, and some interesting square buildings.

While it is the fourteen thousandth item to be catalogued, it has taken 10 years! Of those items, most have sold. In our Geelong shop, though, we still have over 7,000 items on show for sale, most of it is simply not catalogued - yet. So much to do!

Flower show

2011-02-07T02:48:00.001-08:00

We have a whole tribe of little porcelain boys for our upcoming exhibition. These were the most prolific figure creations of the English porcelain factories in the eighteenth century, in particular Derby. These are ~~all~~ mostly Derby from the 1760-80 period.

They look like contestants in a competition: here is the dog show - (these two are Bow, c.1760-70)

- and they are girls, as can be seen by their plats in their hair. I had not noticed this before, assuming they were the same as the flower boys.

Here is the Flower Competition....

And here's a sample of ceramic racism: the pure porcelain boys all stare at the pottery boy....

He's different! He dates to about the same period, but is from one of the Staffordshire potteries. He is actually rarer than the porcelain boys he is copied from!

I'm sure they will all learn to get along just fine together, come our Exhibition2011 in a few months, where they will all be released for sale.

Saint Cloud Chinaman

2011-02-04T22:18:00.001-08:00

A rarity for our upcoming exhibition is this small white porcelain box.

It's tiny, just 3.5 cm , and disappears in the palm of my hand. Maybe it was better suited to the hands of the 18th century lady to whom it was first gifted, by her rococo beau....

It is a beautiful white French porcelain, and could be a couple of factories, Saint Cloud or Mennecy to name two. I settled on Saint Cloud.

This view of the lid shows a prime reason for the attribution to Saint Cloud: the distinct moulded flowers.

It has silver mounts, which is a great help in dating, as long as they are original. They have all the indications of a period piece of silverwork, including a microscopic hallmark.

Luckily I have a proscope electric microscope: here is the mark magnified x50: it is a rooster head.

This dates it nicely to 1750-56, and places it in Paris, which is typical of these pieces. They were constructed by silversmiths, who purchased the various components from the porcelain manufacturers.

The teabowl here is a 1730's piece of Saint Cloud in our reference collection. Alongside it, the Chinaman is quite a happy match. Mennecy, the other option, has a much more creamy appearance.

Here is the box in context: the European fascination with the Orient. His friends here are Magot, or Pagod figures, early Vienna in the background, and of uncertain origin in the foreground. They are based on Chinese prototypes from the 17th century, and appear in almost all the creations of the early European porcelain factories, including Chelsea and Bow in England, Meissen in Germany, and Chantilly & Saint Cloud in France.

This unusually small Saint Cloud box will be part of the Moorabool Antique Galleries 2011 exhibition & sale, to be held in Geelong in April 2011.

English Enamels

2011-02-02T03:36:00.001-08:00

Here is a scene from our English cabinet: Eighteenth century English porcelain and enamels.

To the far left and right are Birmingham enamel boxes, painted with couples in landscapes in the French manner, and dating to the 1760's.
Between them is a selection of South Staffordshire enamels, daring to the 1780-1800 period, and printed with hand coloring.
Behind them is a pair of rare Derby birds, circa 1770, and a Derby cherub with a basket of flowers , circa 1780.

These are all current stock items available on www.moorabool.com

Cantonese Baroque Splendor

2011-01-31T11:53:00.001-08:00

A local find, this Cantonese enamel ewer was a little battered, but very exciting. I could remember seeing a similar example in the V&A Museum, London, way back in my student days, when I used to spend every spare moment wandering it's labyrinth of treasures.

It is a wonderful piece of Baroque style, shaped like a Roman soldiers helmet, with a scallop shell form to the base. This style was popular in the first few decades of the 18th century, suggesting a very early date for this piece.

Cantonese enamels are a vibrant production from the region of Canton, China. The earliest examples we see date to the reign of Kanxi, in the early 18th century. This ewer would therefore be a very early example of the type: most pieces we see are well into the 19th century, and it is still being created in much the same style today.

The usual pieces are simple cups, or boxes, or dishes. This form is pure European, most probably copied from a Portuguese metal example of the late 17th century. It was intended entirely as an export piece, to be sent back to Europe as a vibrant alternate to porcelain (examples of this shape exist in Chinese Export porcelain also). In Europe, it would have been paired with a shell shaped basin, and was intended to be used in the washing of your hands.

The enamels are stunning in their vibrancy, somehow being brighter in effect than a porcelain example. The brilliant white tin oxide ground on the copper body reflects light with an absolute clarity that porcelain cannot achieve.
As is the nature of enamels, there were numerous losses to this piece: it is after all a thin layer of glass on metal, and very vulnerable to knocks and pressure. Our restorer did a wonderful job bringing this rarity back to life.
Cataloguing it was quite a task, not having access to the V&A to verify my memory, and not being able to find a comparable example in a book.
Then today I had my "Eureka" moment:

In a 1997 King Street Christies sale, titled The China Trade, a very similar example with it's basin was sold..... Look at that estimate. Quite a rarity indeed!
Being able to identify this rarity shows that spending excessive amounts of time in museums such as the Victoria & Albert, South Kensington, is well worth while, for me it was 10 years later that I put my observations to use.

The ewer is part of our 2011 Exhibition currently being prepared for an April opening.

Some small treasures

2011-01-23T22:26:00.001-08:00

Another day cataloguing, and many more exciting discoveries....

This small group have a lot in common. The miniature was purchased as an anonymous nobleman, and after extensive brain-storming I finally found the order he is wearing: an orange sash across his chest. This is the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle, and was the highest order possible for the Prussian gentry. Naturally the crown prince was awarded it, and combined with other clues (he wears ermine - a symbol of Royalty- and the red robe to one side is embroided with gold Prussian crowns) the portrait suddenly became very exciting: it is a good image of Frederick II of Prussia, also known as Frederick the Great. The quality is supreme. Lining up the portraits I could find showed that this is apparently a fresh one, I suspect somewhere in the 1740's.

By coincidence, I have a wonderful German enamel box with various manuscripts painted on it, including an almanac for 1757, and on top of the documents is a manuscript reading Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Inside is a music manuscript, titled 'Mennuet': this is interesting, as Frederick was not only a well proven military man by 1757: he also had composed over 100 sonatas for the flute, and four symphonies!

Beside this you can make out a bronze medal, also dated 1757, and struck to commemorate the Battle of Prague in that year. The battle was a success for the Prussians, as they soundly beat their old foe, the Austrians. Prague, however, was not taken by Frederick, but besieged and then rescued by an Austrian counter attack which led to Frederick's first defeat at the battle of Kolin. That, of course, is left off both the box and the medal!

The other boxes in the images above are English enamels, and one rather splendid Meissen example painted with minute tavern and peasant life scenes. As a group, all items belong to an age, the 1750-70 period which was so lavish and decadent across Europe. Having items relating to Frederick is exciting, and they will be a main feature in our upcoming Exhibition and catalogue.

All these items will be released for sale in our 2011 exhibition, date to be announced shortly.

The South Staffordshire enamels above are rarities; the lions head is very charismatic , the snuff very unusual in having a Venetian scene printed & painted on it. Both date to the 1780's.

Hound-dogs & a Roman rarity

2011-01-19T01:34:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of great dogs - the little chap is Lomonosov porcelain from Russia, 1930's, while the larger one is a life sized Chinese guardian, from a Han dynasty tomb 2,000 years old! So much time between them, and yet one looks just like the pup of the other. Which it is, if you think about it.....

To one side, you'll see a large amphora vessel: this was purchased in London a few years ago as 'Roman', and deep inside had English news papers from the 1950's....
Amphora like this survive complete only in exceptional circumstances, such as from shipwrecks ( like the neck of one at the base of the photo), but this shows none of the usual signs; a closer examination reveals a grey ash-like substance in the grooves. Ash = volcano.... Romans + volcano = Pompeii! A quick look through a guide book on Pompeii revealed row after row of the exact form deep in the archives of the museum there.... So our amphora is in fact from Pompeii! Very rarely can we date something so closely, but this was made no later than 79AD!

These items can be seen in our ceramics reference library in Geelong.

Books & more books!

2011-01-17T21:12:00.001-08:00

Here is a pano-photo of our bookcase in our Reference Library. The count has just gone over 1,000 - well over - and they are all on Ceramics or related fields. This is the Lorraine Rosenberg Reference Collection & Library, and is available to interested researches in the upper level of our shop in Geelong.

I have been spending a huge amount of time in here, as we prepare for our 2011 exhibition- lots of fascinating pieces are promised!

Persian surprise

2011-01-12T20:20:00.001-08:00

An interesting vase has been sitting on the shelf for a few months, awaiting cataloguing. I believed it to be early, perhaps 17th century, but as I began to research it today, I discovered I was out by several centuries.

Above: the Mamluk vase, with a later Persian piece behind, and a Hispano-Moresque dish to the side.

The jar is made from the distinctive 'fritware', a sandy, gritty body which must be potted thickly in order to have any strength. It is a soft body, easily broken, and so a rare survivor in the ceramics world.
The decoration is remarkable. At first it appears Chinese, as suggested by the previous owner. The 15th century AD saw the emergence of the trade route between the Middle East and Ming dynasty China, and along the route came Ming Porcelain. Highly valued, it was much admired by the various middle eastern kingdoms, and copied by potters in both shape and decoration. However, lacking the knowledge of porcelain making, they re- created it in their local traditional ceramic bodies.
The early pieces were close copies, with oriental pavilions and figures: by the mid 15th century, Islamic influences were included in the decoration.

Examining my example, there are definite Islamic motifs; the bird is middle eastern in style, and the other panel illustrated below is an urn of flowers (or a tree?) often found in textiles from the region.

And yet, the overall effect is still Chinese Ming dynasty in style; the frieze of scrolling foliage below, for example, and the lattice borders with flowerhead reserves are straight off a Chinese porcelain piece.

It's the base that illustrates so dramatically the difference to anything Chinese. The massively thick body, basically sand fused together and held in place by the thick glassy glaze. You would expect this to be rather heavy if it was a typical pottery or porcelain, but because of the loose nature of the body, it is lightweight for it's size. And very vulnerable: there is a hole right through the side, probably caused by a simple knock against a wall.

To date it, I turned to the fantastic Tafeq Rajab collection in Kuwait, published ina lavishly illustrated catalogue, illustrated below.

Item 315 is a jar, blue & white, Syria, Mamluk period, 15th century AD. Size is 26.5 cm, the same as mine, and in the text it suggests an early 15th century date due to the faithful Chinese style decoration; later in the 15th century, they note the introduction of local designs, and this is where our vase fits: later 15th century.
Exact place of manufacture is yet unknown, but thought to be around the Damascus region, an area controlled by the Mamluk Sultanate, (1250-1517).

One side has not fired well, and has ended up vey blurred, probably from too much heat in the kiln. This has created a dreamy abstract side, very modern looking, despite being over 500 years old!

This item will be released for sale in our 2011 exhibition.

Gilty packer....

2011-01-10T20:21:00.001-08:00

Today I unpacked a Chinese Export tea service, and was soooo cross! The 'professional' shippers had not taken any lids off items such as the teapot and jug, but merely taped them on and wrapped the whole. That is risky in itself, as you have two moving parts that potentially could damage each other by grinding together. But that was not the concern, as they all made it complete: neither was the way all the teabowls had been squashed together in a package, with a whisp of thin packing between them: by some miracle, they all survived.
It was the stunning stupidity of the packer in TAPING OVER GOLD!

Now on a modern piece, this is not an issue: modern gilding techniques are very good and the gold very hardy. But on an antique piece, the gold is fragile. Often it is honey gilding, meaning it is fixed in place with sticky honey, which burns off in the firing process. These early golds can be easily scratched, or scrubbed off... or completely ripped off by sticking tape over them!

If you are packing, or getting something packed, make sure they know what they are doing. Lids should be separate, and tape should never be used next to stick to antique ceramics!

Well & truly clobbered!

2011-01-07T19:22:00.001-08:00

I've accumulated some lovely examples of Chinese porcelain which have been either enhanced or ruined, depending on your viewpoint: they began life as simple blue & white pieces, but were not "pretty" enough for the Europeans who were buying them - so the Europeans painted and gilded over the top, a process sometimes called clobbering. Clobbered pieces are despised by the purist oriental collector, but keenly sought after by a growing group of interested collectors.
In our collection, I have just catalogued an example which illustrates the process beautifully.

The piece is a 'slop' bowl in a European context, or a rice bowl in an Oriental. The Chinese original was produced during the reign of Kanxi, in the early 18th century; the European decoration was almost certainly done in Holland in the 1720-40 period.
It has the appearance and colours on a Japanese Imari piece, complete with chrysanthemum head mons- an effect the European painter was striving for.

But under the colours, you will see the original design: a series of leaves and plants in deep underglaze blue.

The peach colored panels are very unusual. They have a scraffito, or scratched in design of scrolling leaves, which is further enhanced with gilt lines.

The reason we can tell the original as opposed to the later decoration is the glaze: the original is the blue beneath the glaze, while all the European decoration is on top of the glaze. This decoration has unfortunately not bonded with the glaze too well, and in the above pic you can see the onglaze blue just beginning to flake off.

In the above photo, the blue has completely peeled off the glaze, leaving the underglaze blue leaf visible.

The best book on the subject is a recent publication by Helen Espir, "European decoration on Oriental porcelain 1700-1830".
Interestingly, the peach scraffito ground with gilt detailing doesn't appear in the many illustrated examples.

A dated English delft tea canister

2011-01-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

It is always a thrill to identify an item which was previously a mystery. This tea canister, or tea caddy as they are often called, was a recent purchase, and is made from tin glaze earthenware, decorated in manganese. What is really exciting is the inscription on the base: "BB 1757".

I had a hunch it was English delft (always spelt lower case) as opposed to the more usual Delft (upper case) from Holland. Opening the book 'Dated English delftware' (Lipski & Archer 1984) proved my hunch- the same shape, painted in blue with a very similar pattern, is item 1528, and is dated 1774, while another very similar (1525) is dated 1763. Earlier pieces of the same shape are also recorded, beginning with 1707 and 1737. Our example is therefore dated to the middle of this type's long popularity.

Construction is very interesting, being lopsided, bowed, and with very sharp corners. Slabs of clay have been carefully assembled, a very tricky task. The shape is copying silver & pewter forms, and is most unsuited to clay: a wheel turned cylinder is the easiest and more popular form.

None illustrated have a lid, which being small and fragile most probably broke very early on. Ours has a well made tin replacement, constructed most probably by a traveling tinker who went door to door repairing such things.

You may notice the bright red mark to the underside: this has been applied to disguise and old price, which quite clearly says $1.00!!! I certainly did not pay that; as a dated piece, this is an absolute rarity, and despite a replacement lid and crack, will be one of the prime pieces in our 2011 exhibition.

Saucy Sauceboats

2011-01-04T16:13:00.001-08:00

We have accumulated quite a collection of Sauceboats. Also called gravy boats, they were a necessity on the table of rich and poor alike.

Here are a few fresh ones, including tinglaze (faience) and porcelain examples: the two far left are French tinglaze pottery, early and mid 18th century: the rear one is Chinese Export, famille rose c.1760: the blue & white in the center is Worcester c.1755: the second from the right is La Courtille, Paris, c.1780, and the one at the far right is Marcolini Meissen also from the 1780's.

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-04T15:59:00.001-08:00

Welcome to 2011: we hope you had a safe holiday.

At Moorabool Antiques, we are busily preparing our latest collection of rarities for sale: our Exhibition will take place in a few months, with hundreds of fresh pieces released for sale. Our 2011 Catalogue will be released as the same time: if you would like a copy, drop us an email.
www.moorabool.com
Over the next few months, I will be posting a series of photos and details on items intended for the Exhibition, a "Sneak Preview" for all who read the Antique Ceramics blog.

Here's a glance at the items awaiting cataloging. The white Mercury is Berlin, from the early 19th century.

A magnificent pair of pots!

2010-05-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a highlight from the Autumn Exhibition, currently showing in our Geelong premises:

"A pair of Flight & Barr Worcester jardinieres, the straight-sided conical forms with yellow ground, with wide band of superbly painted flowers on a black ground to the rim, with gilt line borders and moulded handles to either side.

Script mark 'Flighr & Barr/ manfs to Their Maj'y.. ' ,

also inscribed B

Circa 1800 "

(Click here for more details)

The quality is simply superb, with very strong enamels, the level of detail is almost photo-realistic.

You'll find a similar shape illustrated in Sandon's 'Flight & Barr Worcester Porcelain', p62, also painted with fine flowers, C. 1800.

Our pair have the incised "B" mark, as well as the script mark 'Flighr & Barr/ manfs to Their Maj'y.. ' , allowing us to date them nicely between 1792 and 1804.

What makes these particularly exciting is their provenance: they come from the collection of Helen Gardiner, most of which is the basis for the Gardiner Collection in Toronto, Canada.

This collection is one of the finest Ceramics collections in the world.

For more from our Autumn Exhibition, click here.

Autumn Exhibition time....

2010-04-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post, due to the pressure of a looming Exhibition..... our Autumn Exhibition opens on May 1st. Here are some preview photos I have snapped of the preparations.

Our upstairs gallery is transformed

The bust is Marie Antoinette, 19th century Paris porcelain

A rare Derby figure of Britania, C. 1758, greets you

A selection of Chelsea, Derby, Bow & Lowestoft

Some lovely late 18th / early 19th century yellow ground pieces, including items from the Gardiner Collection, Toronto

Blue & white porcelains & pottery, and Georgian glass

European & Oriental competitors

European decorated Chinese, plus early Japanese porcelains - early 18th century, that is....

Chinese Export pieces copying European forms

A Tang Dynasty polo player, 1300 years old.....

Autumn leaves..... pickle dishes from Bow, Worcester, Caughley, and at the base, Wedgwood.

Over 300 items Fresh to the market, all for sale.... from less than $100 upwards, something for everyone!

Come along if you can - or drop into our website, www.moorabool.com

have a browse through the actual Exhibition Stock here.

An exciting Meissen discovery

2010-03-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

A recent purchase was an early Meissen jug and cover, startling in a yellow ground with Japanese kakiemon style flower sprays painted around it.

The piece is early; this shape, with the elegant scroll handle and the large, pointed beak spout was being made by 1720, and this example bears no mark; by about 1723-1725ish, the famous mark of the crossed swords was being used, so can therefore say it is pre-1723. Another point in dating is the paste itself; the first production of true porcelain in Europe, by Böttger in 1709, involved the use of alabaster in the mix; this resulted in a slight creamy-brown colour, very distinctive and known as Bottger porcelain. This jug exhibits a much whiter translucency, indicating a slightly later date with the use of felspar instead of the alabaster; this was just being introduced in the early 1720's.

The pot was therefore made in the 1720-23 period. But what about the decoration?

This drove me to the point of distraction; I had every single book on Meissen out, and even the most obscure possibilities, trying to find a parallel to the stunning design. Not being able to find it was a major problem in being positive in attributing the decoration to the 18th century, and not an unfortunate re-decorated piece of the 19th. I found no example illustrated, not even close - so I examined the yellow ground closely.

The yellow was, of course, the Imperial Chinese colour, reserved for the Emperor himself in Chinese ceramics; naturally, Augustus wanted it from his fledgling Meissen factory. It was amongst the first colour other than blue to be used at the factory, and was announced to be ready in 1726. This then is the earliest date for decoration. However, the yellow ground of the early period was a rich, egg-yolk yellow; this yellow is a pale lemon. Clearly, I had to look farther.

In the Wark collection I found a group of teabowls, C. 1735, with the same pale yellow, so it seems that it was possible to use a pale tone by the early 1730's, pushing the decoration of the jug later still. The other colours compared very well with examples in our collection with early markings from the 1730's, with a turquoise that clumps, and a blue that remains raised and mis-fires easily. I was therefore happy with a date of the mid-1730's for the decoration.

Then there is the question of where; the Hausmalerie (ie 'Home Decorators') were studios scattered throughout Germany which bought blank porcelain from where ever they could, and decorated according to current taste - usually with a distinct style that allows us to identify them. This jug did not fit any of the Hausmalerie studios I could find. In fact, the more I looked, the more convinced I was that this was factory decorated; the technique used, that of leaving a very fine reserve for the flowers to be painted into, was used on many other factory pieces, but purely as secondary sprigs, located on the sides or around the handles of pieces; the main decorative panels were reserved in white, with the subjects - flowers or Chinoiseries - painted within. What we would appear to have in this jug is a very unusual pattern.

I had another piece to compare with, purchased at the same time, a teabowl with exactly the same unusual pattern. This is a mid-1730's piece, with a nice crossed swords mark. It seemed that they were related, probably from a unique service.

As a last resort, I pulled up all the collections of early ceramics that have online catalogues.... and hit the jackpot! In the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, I found the rest of the service! Looking carefully at the base of our jug, I could just make out a black number - a collection number - reading G83.1..... - the same beginning sequence as the part service in the Gardiner. This jug & cover has been de-accessed by the museum, but would have been part of the same service. It is slightly smaller than the coffee pot, and larger than the teapot, and would have filled the function of a milk jug. Interestingly, they date the service to 1727-30, allowing for the various marks that the pieces show; crossed swords in underglaze blue, and again in onglaze puce (quite unusual!), and the rarely seen caduceus mark from the mid-1720's. There are clearly a range of dates to the pieces that make up the porcelain of the service; the only thing that unites them is their unique decoration.

The origins of this service I can suggest as follows; an order for kakiemon sprays (possibly with an exact Japanese prototype) has been submitted to the Meissen factory in the mid 1730's; they have been able to fulfill this order with some recent production, but have also delved into the storehouse for some pieces, such as this jug. This was not an uncommon practice, to store old stock and use it many years later.

It's always a thrill to track a piece down and discover a lost history - but not many have such a satisfying conclusion as this piece.

The jug will be exhibited & for sale as part of our Moorabool Antique Galleries Recent Acquisitions exhibition, to be held in our Geelong premises, opening May 1st, 2010.

A Newly Discovered Derby figure - "Complimenting"

2010-03-03T01:49:00.000-08:00

Every now & then, we find a puzzle. I purchased this figure some years ago, thinking it unusual in a naive way. Initial research showed nothing, and I began to suspect its authenticity. I believed it could have been a masterful fraud, such as the products of the Torquay workshop in the mid-20th century. It is easy to fall into the 'it isn't in the book, so it cannot exist' trap, but this is a big mistake with the field of 18th century ceramics.

Re-examining it recently, I began to doubt my suspicions: it has all the characteristics of a period Derby piece, so why should it not be? The paste is perfect, the creamy white of Derby. The base has the characteristic 'patch marks' - the matt areas which were left by the pads of clay the piece was fired on, so it would not stick to the base of the kiln. The colours are also correct, and the pattern on her dress and his waistcoat are acceptable for Derby of the 1770's. Even the flowers are of the correct sort; my re- assessment is that this is indeed a genuine Derby figure, one which does not appear in the definitive book on Derby figures by Bradshaw.

The characteristic 'patch' marks to the base

Looking through this book, I noticed something exciting; a small group of figures, obviously by the same sculptor, with similar proportions to this mystery group. In particular, it is the small heads and ambitious poses of the lady & gent, and also the very simple slab base they stand on which echoes this sculptor's work. Could this be a previously unrecorded group?

Derby 'Fury' group, No. 83

the mystery group.

Another interesting point from a visual examination is the chair: it is a spindly mid-18th century affair, and in fact appears in the likes of Meissen porcelain groups and related German factories in the 1750's and 60's. It seems out of place in the range of English porcelain figures of this period, and suggests a Continental origin for the theme of this group. Closer examination of the chair used in #84 from the list below shows them to be very similar, a very strong link.

There exists a factory list, produced around 1772-96 for the use of the retailers when making orders from the factory. This list can be found reproduced in books on Derby, and is the basis for Bradshaw's book.
The figures with apparent Continental influence (Bradshaw lists figures 77 78 81 84 as having a Sevres origin, after Falconet models) begin at figure No. 73 - a Pastoral group - and continue to No. 88 - 'Pair of Salutation Figures' - of which only one has been identified.
Here's an excerpt from the area of interest:

77 - Stocking-mender group
78 - Shoe-mender group
79 - Not identified - 'Complimenting Group of two {6,3/4 ins.}, enameled '
80 - Not identified - 'Spinning group of two'
81 - Shoe-black group
82 - Not identified - 'Fury group, broken fiddle'
83 - Fury group with Broken Chair
84 - Hairdresser group
85 - Not identified - Macaroni
86 - ditto
87 - 'Pair of Salutation figures' - only one side recorded

It was the 'unknown' listing for # 79 that caught my eye - the figure I was wondering about fits this position beautifully!

Here is my reasoning:

The size is perfect, as is the number of figures: the group of two means 2 figures on a single base
The character of the figure matches the run of figures, 77-84, as far as proportions, stances, and facial features go. Note in particular the hair of the man, in an 18th century bow, and the bonnet of the woman, tied at the top of the head with a bow; these are identical to the two figures in figure No. 83, 'The Fury Group with Broken Chair'. Other identical features include his coat with its buttons and wide cuffs, and his breeches with their three buttons to the side.
The subject could fit the title 'Complimenting', there is a certain interaction between the man and the lady, with the man gesturing in a submissive way to the lady. Her hand holds a white ribbon; perhaps the theme is a compliment in regards to her handiwork at needlework? The ribbon shows signs of restoration, and the overpainting may have destroyed any clue of design.

I looked into the origins of these figures, searching for the source. Other figures can be identified as exact copies, for example figures 77 78 81 84 are all re-creations of Sevres groups by Falconet. The group most similar to this group, No. 83 'The Fury Group with Broken Chair" is in fact a re-creation of a German group, sculpted by K.G.Lück at Frankenthal in around 1765. This distinct similarity with related figures drove me to look at every Frankenthal group I could find, alas without any 'Lück'. I believe that somewhere out there, there is a prototype from Frankenthal by K. G. Lück for this newly discovered Derby group #79.

The Frankenthal original

The Derby copy

Looking back, I can speculate that this is the long lost Derby figure No. 79. The two young people have come across each other in the garden, where she sits at her needlework; he offers her a complement.
Fast-forward a few years, evident by the gent's gaunt features, and in figure 83, the Broken Chair makes sense. Here, he has run afoul of her temper, and she is really getting stuck into him; he raises his arm in self-defense! And in the process, the chair, the very one she was sitting in when they first met, has been shattered.... the image of a broken marriage, and typical of 18th century satirical humor.

left: the newly discovered figure at Moorabool Antique Galleries, No. 79
right: Derby figure No. 83, the 'Fury' group.

It's an exciting thing to 'discover' a long lost piece and publish it for others. The fact that it has not been described before makes it a rarity indeed!

This group will be released for sale as part of 'Exhibition 2010', at Moorabool Antique Galleries, Geelong, Australia, due to open in May 1st, 2010.

2010-03-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a current view of the Reference Library at Moorabool, home to over 1,500 reference pieces of pottery & porcelain, plus over 1,000 books on ceramics.

The white bust is of Marie Antoinette, currently being researched, and will be released for sale at our May exhibition, opening on the 1st of May, 2010. She is bisque porcelain, and late 19th century, most probably made in Paris.

The Johnson Collection visits Moorabool

2010-03-01T03:43:00.000-08:00

We were pleased to entertain a distinguished group of visitors on Saturday the 27th February, the Friends of the Johnson Collection of Melbourne. They were treated to an introduction to our research facility, and a good chance to browse the various nooks & crannies of Moorabool Antique Galleries.

Here, John Rosenberg, founder of Moorabool Antique Galleries waxes lyrical to like-minded Antique enthusiasts, sharing his admiration for Queen Caroline. This is the Lorraine Rosenberg Reference Library of Ceramics in our upstairs gallery.

The Johnson Collection is a Melbourne treasure, a living private museum, set up by the late William Johnson and kept as a house museum. Johnson was a dealer / collector / decorator with genuine flair. You can visit for one of their tours almost every day, and they host exceptionally good exhibitions.
What I like about the collection and house is the way it constantly re-invents itself - it is about to be refreshed yet again, so a new look with fresh items from the store giving a prime reason to re-visit. Details can be found on their website.

A Chelsea Treat

2010-02-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Our recent trip overseas turned up this superb piece of Chelsea porcelain. Made in London around 1755, it is a very rare octagonal form, and has been decorated in a restrained manner with scattered flowers with a brown line rim.

below: the flower sprigs - note the black line at the edges of the enamels

These flowers are particularly interesting, as they are very much in the Meissen style. Meissen porcelain from Saxony, Germany, was the most costly & desirable porcelain of its time, and it is little wonder the newly established Chelsea factory sought to imitate them.

below: a Meissen Deutsch Blumen flower sprig, 1740's

This style has its origins in German woodblock prints, botanical works from the late 17th and early 18th century which were copied directly by the early Meissen artists. The black line which defines each bloom by tracing the outside edge is an artifact of the woodblock prints, where the hand colouring of the prints produced the same effect. We know this style as Deutsch Blumen (German Flowers), and by mid century it had evolved to a more flowing style without the outer black line. This style was copied extensively throughout European porcelain manufactories, and even in the very popular Chinese Export products of the same period.

below: Meissen etui with Deutsch Blumen flowers, C. 1750

below: a lively bug from the Chelsea cup & saucer. Note the shadow.

The bugs also have a story to tell. They have Meissen origin also, being very close to a style pioneered by an artist by the name of Johann Gottfried Klinger, who worked at Meissen 1726-46, and later at Vienna. They are distinct with their 3d- like quality, achieved by placing a subtle shadow beneath the body and legs. Once again, their original source was German woodblock prints of the late 17th century. Bugs were literally 'bugs' in many cases, as often their very reason for being on an early ceramic work was to hide a problem; a bubble, an iron spot, a speck of kiln dirt..... the artist merely gave them legs and made them a legitimate part of the decoration! The artists often had flaws in this pioneering period of porcelain manufacturing, and their clever disguising of faults made the pieces salable - and proved that the best place to hide is indeed in plain sight!

below: a Meissen dish from aroun 1735, painted by Klinger.

Note the shadows beneath the bugs, and the black lines around the Deutsch Blumen flowers.

All items illustrated here are from the stock of Moorabool Antique Galleries.

The Chelsea teabowl & saucer will be part of our 2010 Exhibition, due to open on May 1st, 2010, in Geelong, Australia. A catalogue will be available on www.moorabool.com

2010-02-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a view of the lower floor of Moorabool Antique Galleries - home to the largest stock of Genuine Antique Ceramics in Australia.

Antique is defined as over 100 years old, and while a large portion of Moorabool's stock is from the reign of Victoria - who was on the throne 1837 - 1901 - a significant amount dates to the Georgian period, ie the time George I, II, III, & IV, a period spanning most of the 18th century, from 1714 - 1830.

The Ceramics dominate, but alongside you will find furniture, silver glass, old Sheffield Plate, artworks of all descriptions, and 'objects de vertu' - small precious items of great beauty.

In all, there are over 7,000 items in stock. A proportion is available on the website, www.moorabool.com

2010 Catchup: a Catalogue and Exhibition in the works.

2010-02-22T21:42:00.000-08:00

It's all fun & games at Moorabool these days, with an exhibition looming, and a catalogue being compiled to print. I never realized how much effort went into a professional catalogue!

I have had some pretty exciting discoveries recently, including unrecorded figures; all will be revealed in our upcoming catalogue, and I'll post the discovery process on this blog.

left: a Bow 'Harlequin' figure, Circa 1755, modeled after a Chelsea version of Meissen's original, itself modeled by J.J.Kaendler.

The Reference Collection continues to be a drawcard for ceramics enthusiasts, with many groups visiting over the past year including the Wedgwood Society, the local ADFAS, the Eighteenth Century Society, and soon the Johnson Collection. We welcome this interest.

Our Antique Fair schedule is sparse for the beginning of the year, with the Ballarat fair in the first week of March, and then nothing until the AAADA 'professional' fair in Sydney at Wharf 8 in August. For anyone wishing for a ceramics fix, I suggest a visit to our shop in Geelong, or at least a visit to our website......

Our Winter Exhibition, titled RECENT ACQUISITIONS 2010, will take place Mayday, Saturday 1st May, in our Geelong premises. This selling exhibition will include around 250 pieces of fresh stock, including de-acquisitions from the Rosenberg Collection.

left: a bug from a Chelsea octagonal teabowl & saucer, C. 1754

Welcome

2009-02-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog, dedicated to Antique Ceramics. I am a ceramics enthusiast from Australia, and enjoy the immense creativity and expression of aesthetics you find in pottery & porcelain over a huge period of time. The skill of the potter is remarkable, taking rude clay and working it into a malleable product; then working it on a wheel, casting, or sculpting it into a form of usefulness or beauty; then decorating or enhancing the product until it pleases the eye, or provides evidence of the owners good taste.

Every period & style have their ceramics, from simple crocks in the kitchen to flamboyant centerpieces for the Kings table. Once you learn the styles, you can estimate a date.... unless you are looking at one of the numerous re-inventions of styles which occur from century to century. Telling the original from the re-issue is part of the fun of antique ceramics.
Every type of clay, and the way it is worked into a pot, is unique. These 'bodies' change over time, with invention and improvements changing their very fabric. By looking at the fabric of the pot, it is possible to further refine a period and place of origin. Then there's the technique used in potting & painting, which directly reflects the changing technology of the period. Colours used in the decoration can be used to provide a date, as certain colours have an 'invention' date, which gives an earliest possible date.

And finally, there is the mark; a 'final' point on purpose, as it should be the last feature examined to determine the origin & authenticity of a piece, for the simple reason that it is the easiest to copy or fake. Often, a piece made to look like an earlier or more valuable piece will have a big, bold, and wrong mark. The body, technique and style are the points to learn when assessing the authenticity of a piece; the marks are useful from that point on to provide an exact place & period of manufacture.

It is all a detective story, the clues adding to give us a profile of 'who dunnit'....... and like a good crime, we sometimes find cases that resist solving. With time, and new research, these mysteries may one day be solved. I hope this blog may help in this matter in some small way - and please, if you have any clues regarding any pieces or photos posted, go right ahead and make a comment!

Paul Rosenberg, Moorabool Antique Galleries, Australia