Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art: Ceramics (81)

A delightful Bennington-type yellowware cow creamer with mottled brown glaze. The cow stands on a concave oval base. This example is more nicely potted than some, with good detailing in the ribcage area and a quirky facial expression. These creamers were made in both America and England, but the style of modelling suggests this is an American example. The tail has been reglued nicely, and a professional restorer could make the repair completely invisible.

Origin: America or England, ca. 1840. Condition: mint aside from the tail. Size: 6-7/8" x 3" x 5-3/8".

Banded mochaware bowl in blue and brown. Very nicely formed, with a crisply shaped foot rim. The rim has one 1" hairline, and there is some discoloration to the interior (note that the discoloration visible near the rim is actually very thick bluish glaze, and not staining), but otherwise the bowl is in very good condition. 6-3/8" diam; 3-1/8" high.

Porcelain sardine box with a handle in the form of a realistically-painted sardine. The sides and lid of the box are decorated with pink roses. The bottom is marked "Victoria Austria."

Origin: Altrohlau, Bohemia, Austria (now Stara Role, Czech Republic), ca. 1891-1918. Condition: excellent, slight wear to gilding along edges of the lid. Size: 5-1/4" x 4-1/2" x 3".

Porcelain beaker decorated in transfer and polychrome enamels with scenes of Louisville, Kentucky. The scenes include "Thomas Jefferson Statue & Court House", "Entrance to Cave Hill Cemetary", and "Post Office & Custom House". These glasses were made in Austria, Bohemia and Germany from the 1890's until World War I. We are also offering similar glasses featuring Boston, Cincinnati, and St. Louis. The bottom is marked "Victoria Austria". Origin: Austria, 1891-1918. Condition: near mint, with very slight wear to the gilded edges. Size: 3-3/4" tall.

Extraordinary majolica tile raised on bun feet. The tile features a sinuous painted Art Nouveau design of elegant swans swimming in a river with a cityscape beyond, surrounded by a border of bamboo. The design has a distinctly impressionist look that brings to mind some of the Rookwood vellum patterns. The bottom is impressed "66" and has an illegibly impressed maker's mark.

Origin: European, circa 1880. Condition: superficial glaze scratching from normal wear; glaze crazing only on the underneath side. Size: 9.25" square; 1.5" high.

A nice stoneware ewer in an unusual form by Doulton Lambeth. The bulbous body is decorated with raised flowers and foliage against a cobalt blue ground, while the foot and long tapering neck are finished in a simple pattern of incised rings highlighted with chocolate brown borders. The inside of the foot is stamped with the mark used 1891-1902 and also with the artist's mark which appears to be a conjoined "JH", "HL" or possibly just an ornate "H". There is also an assistant's mark, "b".

Origin: England, ca. 1895. Condition: no chips or cracks. Size: 11-5/8" tall.

Porcelain decanter in the shape of a bellhop, complete with his ring of keys, decorated with overglaze red, black and pink enamels. The bottom is marked "Germany" and also has a decorator's mark.

Origin: Germany, ca. 1920. Condition: Light glaze crazing; a small chip on the cap and three small flakes at the bottom edge are visible in the photos (all could be easily repaired). Size: 9-1/2" tall.

Extremely rare set of six transferware dessert plates depicting Napoleon’s great victories. The rims are printed with crowned “N”s encircled by laurel wreaths and military decorations, alternating with escutcheons with the Emperor’s signature hat and sword. The scenes are entitled “Mort De Desaix A Marengo”; “Le Ge’al Massena Devant Zurich 25 Decembre 1799”; “Bataille De Friedland 14 Juin 1807”; “Combat De Benhout 8 Mars 1799”; “Bonaparte A Arcole 17 Novembre 1796”; and “Napoleon Haranguant Les Troupes Bavaroises Et Wurtembergeoises”.

All the plates were made by Boch Freres of La Louviere, Belgium. Most are marked with the company’s stamp. The monarchy was in and out of favor frequently during the 19th century, and few of the Napoleon transferware items survived.

Origin: Belgium, circa 1850s. Condition: all are in excellent condition with no chips or cracks; one has light crazing to the glaze and minimal discoloration; all the transfer decoration is well-detailed and strongly-colored. Size: 8-1/8” diameter.

A very rare set of four earthenware plates by Choisy-le-Roi depicting architectural landmarks in Paris during the Empire period. Three of the plates depict theatres--a very popular pasttime for the upper classes during the Directorate, Consulate and Empire periods. One scene is entitled "Théâtre de l'Impératrive" and shows the theatre now know as l'Odéon. Another is entitled "Théâtre Italien" and a third is entitled "Théâtre Feydeau"--both of which were noted for operatic performances and both of which played important political roles during the Napoleonic era. The fourth plate depicts "La Bourse de Paris", another one of the architectural landmarks left behind by Napoleon. The twelve-sided plates are bordered with an impressed laurel wreath pattern highlighted with brownish-black lines. These are among the most interesting of the Choisy plates from this era. The backs have impressed Choisy marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1815. Condition: excellent, no cracks or chips, very light knife wear to glaze. Size: 8-5/16" diameter.