Posted 10 years ago
Ravenred
(7 items)
I bought this beauty myself in Metz France many years ago at an anitque flea market the size of a football field. The people I bought it from had no idea when it was made or anything else about it....they just needed money! I bought it because I thought it was gorgeous and it was definitely my style and taste.
For the last 15 years, i've tried to find out anything about this item. I had one antique researcher suggest it was late victorian. I just don't know if I agree with that but who knows. I have never seen anything remotely similar to it. If anyone has ANY idea what it is or the age, i would be very happy!! The signature is not readable to me ...it appears to say "Piya" but i'm not sure. The numbers on the bottom are raised, not inset...is this a date?? The gold gilt is in very good condition, coming off here and there due to wear. No damage, just a lot of crazing in the glaze..the pour spout goes all the way through as if it could pour something. It's glazed on the inside as well...no other marks that i can find and it's driving me crazy!! Help!!!
it is possible its the year but a lot of the time itsa pattern number ...back in thse days the year wasnt really important as a lot of items that were used for day ware may have been cooked with items underground, using fire and forms of coal.
However your item which appears to be earthenware or stoneware depending on the country is a bit tricky...the glaze has a well formed sheen to it, very well formed.. a bit later than your 1804...
So then as pottery collectors we look at rather the significance of the date there and the action on the vase...it appears to be a military piece with horses but also men in armour in what could be classed as French colours...
So what battles occurred in 1804 ....wikipedia reference ...Battle of Cape Santa Maria (also known as the "Battle of Cape St Mary"; in Spanish Batalla del Cabo de Santa María) was a naval action of 5 October 1804' that took place off the southern Portuguese coast, in which a British squadron under the command of Commodore Graham Moore attacked a Spanish squadron commanded by Brigadier Don José de Bustamante y Guerra, in time of peace, without declaration of war between the UK and Spain. ..........So no its not that...
I think its this....On May 18, 1804, both the French people and the French Senate voted to change the consulate to an empire and to make Napoléon the Emperor of the French. On December 2, 1804, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Napoléon took the crown from the hands of Pope Pius VII and crowned himself Emperor Napoléon I.
and what did this action lead to, the battle of Trafalgar....in 1805
So more likely a French potter, a nationalistic potter 25, 50, 100 years on decided to make your lovely pot....to celebrate this event....I could be wrong but I think I have the meaning...now someone who specialises in French potting can chime in because my area is Stoke On Trent and there's no way in hell a British firm would make a pot that celebrates the death of Lord Nelson.....lol...hope this helps...Anne
or
and this is where we love research Piya was a mythical Swordsman...from where or when I don't know but there might have been a great knight of someones realm who may have fought some great battle...I will plant that seed and leave you look further...
The thing ith all art no matter what the item is, be it a vase, a paiting etc they usually all tell some type of story... a beautiful loetz vase in irredescent colours tells a story of great love from the artist to the person who buys it for themselves....
yours has an obvious painting of a knight, with colours, a name and what appears to e a date...start there....
however it still could be Napoleonic in story...have fun...
thank you for the idea!! this is a jousting event though...i do believe it's French as the colors did seem to line up properly. I welcome any ideas and thank you for taking the time!! Maybe it's victorian, the era of reproductions/copy cat items...hmm
yes I agree on jousting of course. But there werent many knights and jousting in 1804if we use the year. So its either symbolic or recognising something from the past.
Its also by the looks of it ironstone. I had a further think about it being earthenware. Tin glazed at minimum I would say. Similar crust but just has a different coating. Was used in Victorian times but I only know of the UK potters who used it, Wedgwood and Masons.
Anyhow, food for thought and part of the journey you undertake in researching. I hope the European friends can help you, as I exhausted of ideas. Europe is not my expertise. It's very involved, hard to attribute.
Thank you Anne! I have had fun thinking about your possibilities! I've often thought, I would give anything if any of my items from Europe could talk and tell me their own history! oh that would be marvelous! :)
You can be certain that 1804 is a pattern/reference number, not the year it was made. Its called a "ewer," pronouned YOU-er.
My guess is the it’s German or possibly from the Alsace area. There are many beer steins with similar themes. I think you have to work on deciphering the signature of the artist.
Stillwater, thank you! i kinda figured it might be but now to date when they made pattern numbers this way...victorian? before?
Mary, thanks for your input! none of us have considered that. My family is German and i was living in Germany at the time of this purchase in France but I did not ever think it was German at all...i was certain it was French or English..Who knows! thanks