sauce boat

Summary

Public: Oval sauce boat on three paw feet, each topped with grinning mask. Slip-cast body with undulating rim, tapering lip and applied strap loop handle. Lower body decorated in relief with scrolls and shells with a band of birds and animals beneath neck rim. Relief decorated with cobalt blue. Private: Oval sauce boat with curved base on three paw feet, each foot topped by high relief grinning mask. Fine slip-cast body with shaped undulating rim and prominent tapering lip, applied ribbed strap loop handle with pinched and flattened spur at lower terminal. Lower body of sauce boat decorated in relief with three panels of elaborate scrolls and pecten shells alternating with two different pecten motifs. Wide band of fantastic birds and animals beneath neckrim, differing slightly on either side. From right of handle; pecten shell, fruiting branch, Bacchus astride a wine barrel, lion, bird, snail. From left of handle; pecten shell, fruiting branch, Bacchus astride a barrel, bird, lion, bird, snail. Relief decoration ornamented with scattered daubs of cobalt blue.