Tragic Couple Antony and Cleopatra, Creamware, Ralph & Enoch Wood, circa 1780

A large and impressive bust, taken from Michelangelo’s Pietà. Creamware, modelled and made by Ralph Wood, with enamelling.

A fine, rare pair of figures in black basalt from the Neale Manufactory. The Neale pottery was founded in 1778 and ran until around 1792. They made very fine wares, and were on good terms with Wedgwood, with whom they combined shipments to the continent. For two similar figures marked for Neale & Co. see Diana Edwards, Black Basalt, Wedgwood and Contemporary Manufacturers, Suffolk, 1994, p. 208, figs. 313 & 314. Cleopatra and Lucretia are two women from different time periods and historical contexts, but are linked by their importance in Roman history, as well as by their tragic ends. Cleopatra was a famous queen of ancient Egypt, who ruled from 51-30 BC. She was the last pharaoh of Egypt and is remembered for her intelligence, beauty, and political savvy. Cleopatra was involved in a romantic relationship with the Roman general and statesman, Julius Caesar, and later with the Roman general and politician, Mark Antony...

Exceptionally rare early figure of Bacchus in black basalt. The mixed-case mark places this figure between 1780 and 1785. He is portrayed in typical style, his head garlanded with grapes and with a wine cup to his lips. Bacchus, also known as Dionysus in Greek mythology, is the enigmatic god of wine, fertility, and ritual madness. He symbolizes freedom, ecstasy, and the blurring of societal norms through his rituals and festivities. Bacchus is often depicted in myths as a deity who challenges the status quo, promoting an atmosphere where conventional rules do not apply, and his followers are liberated from their everyday constraints. Born from Zeus and the mortal Semele, Bacchus is unique among gods, bridging the divide between the divine and the human. His followers included the wild and ecstatic maenads, female devotees who often reached states of divine frenzy, and the satyrs, mischievous half-man, half-goat beings. The worship of Bacchus was marked by theatrical processions, dances, and plays, reflecting his patronage of the theater and the dramatic arts. Bacchus’s mythology...

A style of portrait previously unknown, this extraordinarily deep bust of Shakespeare is in creamware, with a cold painted background. William Sha...

A good quality Leeds Pottery creamware figure group depicting Venus and Cupid with a large fish believed to date from the latter 19th century. The molded figure group stands raised on a square shaped base and is well modelled with nice detail with Venus dressed...

A good quality Leeds Pottery creamware figure group depicting Bacchus holding a cup and a bunch of grapes and standing alongside a wine barrel believed to date from the latter 19th c...

This elegant Wedgwood charger was made in England in the late 18th century, circa 1785. Crafted from creamware, the charger features a meticulously painted geometric border composed of orange and black flowerheads set within a lattice of fine black lines. Each flowerhead is centered in a diamond-shaped cell, creating a repeating pattern that radiates rhythm and precision. The inner field is left undecorated, emphasizing the clean form and enhancing the visual impact of the border. The simplicity of the cream-colored ground paired with the precise hand-painting along the rim reflects the neoclassical restraint and balance that defined Wedgwood’s aesthetic...

A Large Creamware reticulated basket and under tray, English, Circa 18th Century. Absolutely Beautiful! Provenance: The John Howard Collection....