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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.