teapot

Summary

Public: Teapot in the form of a seated bird with the spout in the form of a bird's head and a domed cover with a button finial. Marbled white and brown earthenware body. Private: Teapot in the form of a seated bird, on spreading oval foot relief-moulded with fluted border. Wide lower body tapering to pointed tail beneath handle, upper body tapering to narrow oval neck. Relief decoration of crouching legs beneath short folded wings on either side, details of which differ slightly on either side. Pointed tail decorated with two bands of radiating feathers to one side. Two figures depicted around lower body beneath wings, a woman to left of handle, crouching huntsman with gun to right. Dragons with forked tongues above wings around neck rim. Spout in the form of bird's head emerging from base between bird's claws. Plain pulled handle, with two notches in thumb rest, terminating in small folded knop at tail. Domed oval cover with moulded fluting and tall button finial. Finely marbled white and brown earthenware body, brown colour bleeding slightly into the glaze to give overall warm honey tone. Wings, spout and handle picked out in underglaze cobalt grey-blue wash.