Royal Crown Derby peach tree ewer on a cobalt blue ground with…
click the photo to enlarge
Royal Crown Derby peach tree ewer on a cobalt blue ground with gilding, with a Zeus Ammon head to the handles base. Height 26 cm

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
  • Ewer / Pitcher - A type of jug with a narrow neck bulbous body and wide spout, originally used for carrying and storing liquids such as water or wine. In medieval times they were the source of water to wash ones hands during and after a meal. later the shape was used for vessels in silver, gold, glass and ceramics.

    In Victorian times they were made in ceramics and occasionally glass with a matching basin, and sometimes other accessories such as a soap holder or toothbrush holder. Their purpose was to provide facilities for personal washing In the early 19th century were often enclosed in purpose built stands, and later resided on a washstand..

    Sometimes the words "ewer" and "pitcher" are used interchangably, but a pitcher is generally considered to be a jug, and would have a wide mouth, and a gently tapering body.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A Royal Crown Derby porcelain ewer, circa 1890 printed mark and year cipher to base, 27 cm high

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

English hallmarked sterling silver Victorian ornate claret jug with a pull down mechanism, armorial spout, three ring panel neck with various floral patterns & motifs, the body is is decorated with bouquets & overflowing floral baskets & stamped with two b

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

English hallmarked sterling silver Victorian ewer with raised floral detail & a hinged lid. Sheffield, 1855, maker Martin, hall & Co. Height 32.5 cm. Weight 738g

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A Royal Worcester vase Frank Roberts tapering body with scroll handles and rounded platform base, hand painted nasturtium plants to front and back, circa 1901 39.5 cm high

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.