Maker: Unidentified Staffordshire
Period: Early Victorian
This large and impressive early Victorian teapot has an attractive pear shape and a finely fluted body and lid. There are well-moulded acanthus leaves with gilt accents on the rustic ring finial and around its base, on the rustic handle, and on the spout. Each of the six feet has a cabochon boss.
The unidentified teapot features in Michael Berthoud’s book, A Directory of British Teapots. Berthoud dates it to around 1845. The only difference is that the strainer of our teapot has 11 holes rather than Berthoud’s 14.
The numbers ‘888’ are painted in small green script on the base of the teapot.
Condition Almost pristine. Small areas of light staining on the body, and the tips of two feet (see photograph) and minuscule spots of gilt loss on the outer band around the lid rim.
Height: 25 cm; width across spout and handle: 25 cm
Net weight: 881g
Medium: Bone china (porcelain)
Origin: Probably Staffordshire, England
