British Pottery Solid Agate Pecten Shell Teapot and Cover, Circa 1755-60.

British Pottery Solid Agate Pecten Shell Teapot and Cover,
Circa 1755-60.

The lead-glazed light cream and red agateware pottery teapot is molded in the form of a pecten shell with a foo-dog finial and a serpent spout.

Dimensions: 5 3/4 inches high x 6 1/2 inches wide x 3 1/4 inches deep ( 9.08cm x 16.51cm x 8.26cm)


Reference:
 (http://www.chipstone.org/article.php/78/Ceramics-in-America-2003/Swirls-and-Whirls:-English-Agateware-Technology)

See Michelle Erickson and Robert Hunter, Swirls and Whirls: English Agateware Technology, Pages 87-110, Ceramics in America, 2003 and illustrated online at Chipstone's site, figure 7 from the Chipstone Collection for similar coloration.

The Burnap Collection of English Pottery, Ross E. Taggart, Nelson Gallery for a similar example.

Newcastle Pearlware Inkwell, Sewell, Newcastle.

                                                                                    Rare Pearlware Ink Stand with pineapple-shaped

Candleholder,
Sewells, St. Anthonys Pottery, Newcastle,
Circa 1804-20.

A wonderful pearlware inkstand complete with all its parts.  The stand consists of a lower circular section with an impressed design of overlapping circles to the sides which to the rear have been punched out leaving an openwork design of ovals and triangles.

The top front third is a cover, surmounted with a lion on a large oak leaf, to cover a compartment for the quill nibs.  The back section has a series of small circular holes for the quills and three cutouts to contain the existing separate inkwell, sander, and pineapple-shaped candleholder.

Diameter: 7 1/4 inches.

Provenance: Mario Buatta
With Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc.

Reference: Listed in the Sewell pattern book #87.

link to object

East India Company Bird Paintings

As British employees of the East India Company moved into India to work in the 18th & 19th century, they encountered places and scenes which were considered exotic and were, of course, very different from home.  To record these foreign places and things, local artists were employed to paint them.

Here are four different birds-

Titled Bilace

Titled Kanra

Titled Muchrunga

Titled  Kouroo

Here is a link to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's page on Company School.