A vase and cover, late 19th century

Details

WILLIAM DE MORGAN (1839-1917)
A vase and cover, late 19th century
glazed and lustre-decorated ceramic
Painted in ruby lustre with figures aboard three galleon ships, their sails with bears and displaying birds against a gold lustre sky, all on a choppy sea punctuated by large fish and sea serpents, the cover with a radiant sun
Painted blue D.M. FULHAM. above a wavy line mark
12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm.) high, 9 in. (22.9 cm.) diameter

Provenance

The Fine Art Society, London, April 1996.
Acquired by Ann and Gordon Getty from the above.

Special Notice

Please note this lot will be moved to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn) at 5pm on the last day of the sale. Lots may not be collected during the day of their move to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services. Please consult the Lot Collection Notice for collection information. This sheet is available from the Bidder Registration staff, Purchaser Payments or the Packing Desk and will be sent with your invoice.

Conditions of sale

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Lot Essay

William De Morgan frequently employed ship motifs as a pun on the idea of 'craftsmanship'. A lustre-decorated vase and cover of the same form, a galleon to its side painted with similar bears to its sails, is illustrated in M. Greenwood and R. Dennis, The Designs of William de Morgan, Ilminster, 1989, p. 224, pl. 159. A vase with a variant bottle-form body, but similarly pairing galleons with bears and displaying birds to their sails, is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum (accession no. 860-1905).

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