28-B Maine Antique Digest, March 2015
- AUCTIONS -
A rare Minton majolica mushroom tureen, circa 1875, mod-
eled as an oval tree trunk with ferns and ivy on a leafy green
fixed undertray, has a mischievous fox at either end watching
two unsuspecting mallard ducks, and the lid is modeled as
the top of the tree trunk with ivy trailing and a mushroom
handle. Measuring 7½" high x 16" wide, it sold for $21,000
(est. $25,000/35,000) to Nicolaus Boston on the phone with a
client. Strawser.
This rare George Jones majolica double inkwell, circa 1875, birds
in nests supported by twigs on a cobalt tray, 10½" wide, sold on
line for $3840 (est. $3000/5000). Strawser.
This Minton majolica milk pitcher,
circa 1874, is modeled as a ginger and
black cat seated on its haunches trap-
ping a mouse under its right paw with
its tail forming the handle. It is 10"
tall, with a registry mark for 1874.
It was probably designed by Paul
Comolera. It sold to a Pennsylvania
collector in the salesroom for $20,400
(est. $6000/9000). It may be a record
for the form. The buyer said he had
two others. A Gustavsberg majolica cat
pitcher (not shown), circa 1890, a copy
of the Minton one, sold for $2040 (est.
$2000/3000). Strawser.
This rare George Jones
“Horace” teapot in the
Japanese style, 6½" tall, is
the only known example.
It is thought to have been
designed by George Jones’s
son Horace in the manner
of Christopher Dresser. It
sold to a New York collector
in the salesroom for $8700.
Strawser.
This Minton majolica tortoise teapot, the tail of
the tortoise forming the handle, the head forming
the spout, and a small shell for the finial, sold to a
phone bidder with Nicolaus Boston for $18,600 (est.
$15,000/25,000). A similar teapot sold at Christie’s on
November 26, 2013, for $50,000 (est. $20,000/30,000).
The colors are realistic. Strawser.
This rare pair of George Jones majolica cobalt-
blue exotic wall pockets, decorated with a hum-
mingbird and a white trumpet flower with green
leaves entwining to make a hanging hole at the
top, sold to a collector in the salesroom for $5520
(est. $2000/3000). Strawser.
This Choisy Le Roi
moules et l’escargot
tureen,
modeled as a gray wicker basket filled with straw
and bound in pink ribbon to form handles, the lid
formed as a pile of straw covered with a mound
of mussels with a snail handle, sold for $960.
Solis-Cohen photo. Strawser.
This large rare Palissy ware wall plaque,
circa 1880, by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro,
Caldas de Rainha, Portugal, is modeled as a
basket full of vegetables and a huge lobster
on a dark brown circular plaque. It sold to
a collector in the salesroom for $4200 (est.
$4000/6000). Bordalo Pinheiro, a ceramist
and cartoonist, produced the finest of all
Portuguese Victorian Palissy ware as well
as monumental Italian Renaissance designs
and is known for his character Zé Povinho,
a downtrodden peasant that was produced
in majolica and is still a national character.
Strawser.
This Joseph Holdcroft salmon server, circa 1875, mod-
els a freshly caught salmon on a bed of leaves, taken
from a Wedgwood design. According to the catalog,
it is of superior quality, matching Minton and Wedg-
wood. It sold for $2280 (est. $1200/1500). Strawser.
This monumental Minton majolica
Renaissance Revival exhibition quality
ewer on stand, circa 1860, 30" high, is an
elaborate design by Emile Jeannest. It was
painted and signed by Thomas Kirkby.
The urn has four oval panels, painted in
brown, and they depict Bacchus accepting
wine from a nymph, a dancing bacchante,
nymphs before a herm, and Pan playing
pipes for a dancing nymph. The stand
has four smaller panels, two of Pan and
a reclining bacchante and two with tro-
phies. It sold on the phone for $32,400 (est.
$20,000/30,000). Strawser.
This rare Minton majolica cheese dish, circa 1876, is
modeled as an oval green dish holding a round yellow
cheese decorated with barley and wheat stalks
and four mice peeking in and out of the lower
section and another mouse standing on
the cheese gnawing a piece of cheese
to form the handle. It is impressed
“Minton,” with the date cipher for
1876, and is 5" tall. There is only
one other example known. It sold
to a collector in the salesroom for
$26,400 (est. $20,000/30,000). Strawser.
This rare George Jones compote, 9½" high x 10" wide, depicting
America, from the “Continents” series, inscribed “America,”
includes two buffalo, one standing and one recumbent on an earthy
ground base under a large oak tree supporting a cobalt bowl with
a turquoise interior. It sold for $27,600 (est. $15,000/25,000) to a
woman in the room from Texas, underbid by another collector in
the salesroom. This is the only known cobalt example of the four
in the series. Usually the bowls are turquoise. Strawser.
This German majolica ele-
phant decanter, circa 1890,
modeled as an elephant in
a smoking jacket, drinking
from a mug of cocoa with
his trunk, with his glasses
on his forehead, sold in the
salesroom for $5160 (est.
$800/1200). Strawser.